Back to the Past
by Art3m1s
Summary: Kaoru’s the daughter of a very rich man…she’s a complete tomboy whose greatest dream is going back in the past to the samurai era…one day her dream is conceded.What will happen now?Will she find love, find a way home or never go back? K&K RR pleas
1. The Breakfast

> **Disclaimer:** 1...2...3 deep breath I-DO-NOT-OWN.... CAN'T DO THIS! Okay… must… control myself! I do not own Rurouni Kenshin! YAY! I did it!

> **Summary:** Kaoru's the daughter of a very rich man that doesn't care for her… she's a complete tomboy whose greatest dream is going back in the past to the samurai era… one day her dream is conceded. What will happen now? Will she find love, a way to return home or even return home?

'...' thoughts / "..." speech

There are three POV's in this story: Normal, Kaoru's and later on Kenshin's =)

**Back to the past**

**The Breakfast**

**Normal POV**

Kaoru is the daughter of a very rich business man. Her mother died when she was young and ever since she lived her life quite lonely. As she grew up she became a tomboy, excellent martial arts fighter, a disaster at making any house shores (A/N: but if you think about it… she didn't need to do them… she had maids for everything! ) and whose greatest dream was living in the samurai era…

**Summer 2004**

A 17 year old, raven haired girl lies on her bed sleeping peacefully…

An old maid enters into the huge room and starts opening the windows in order to let the daylight in.

"Tooooo early…. I'm on holidays… yawn" said the girl keeping her eyes shut stiff.

"Yes I know, Kaoru-dono…" the old maid said gently "…but your father requested your presence at breakfast today."

Two beautiful sapphire blue eyes opened in surprise "He NEVER requests my presence at breakfast…"

"He said he needed to talk to you about something important…" said the women smiling.

"Yeah… I bet he does… otherwise he wouldn't request my presence!" said Kaoru grumpily. (A/N: what can I say… not EVERYONE is a morning person, ne?)

There was a long dull silence in the room.

**Kaoru's POV**

'MAN! I hate waking up early! Especially when he wants me too… I mean ever since okaa-san died he never worried about me, only when he needed something from me or if I made anything bad!'

"Come on… Kaoru-dono… just go and see what he wants…" Nana said gently. 'Her real name is Nadisha ( I'm terrible at making up names… if you have any suggestions…) she's like a mother to me, technically she's been my mother ever since okaa-san died… Also Nana's the only one who understands me!'

"Nana-san do you think I can go on my pj's?" I asked sheepishly.

"I don't think so Kaoru-dono… You know your father, he's very strict about that…"

"Yeah yeah… he always wants me to wear fancy clothes whenever I'm with him! I hate fancy clothes they're so uncomfortable!" I said while I got out of my bed to go take a bath. "Will you please put some clothes on my bed? I'm not in the mood to choose them today…"

"Hai…" she said and went to get me some clothes.

I got myself into the bathroom slowly and cursing everything…

**15 minutes later**

I got out of the bathroom and looked around in my room. Nana was still there fixing the room a bit. I fetched my clothes and started dressing myself.

"Here…" I gave her my pj that she neatly put away on top of my pillow.

"You look marvelous sweetheart…" sometimes Nana-san drops the polite –dono thing and talks to me like any mother does to her child.

"I do…. Demo… I hate dressing up like this!" I made an ugly face, wrinkled my nose and finally for the first time that damn morning I started to laugh!

**Normal POV**

The two just stood there laughing for a while. That relaxed Kaoru who was very nervous at the thought of what her father wanted to tell her… She hadn't a good feeling about it, not at all.

They stopped laughing and Nana gave her an encouragement look, opened the door and went right ahead of her as if pulling her out.

**Kaoru's POV**

'Well that was relaxing… but now it's time to go!' I took a deep quick breath and followed Nana. 'I wonder what he wants to tell me…' I thought as I reached the end of the stairs I then entered the elephant sized dinning room and a quick thought hit me 'Guess I'm about to know.'

I lifted my head proudly and started walking towards my father.

"Ohayo otou-san!" I said cheerfully 'Well… this may seem contradictory to what it seemed before… demo… it isn't… although I don't like the way he acts toward me, always so numb and cold, he IS my father and as I can't see him very often I always treat him like this… I still carry the hope that he will return to his true self… like when okaa-san was alive! Demo… it always cost me a lot to act all cheerful…'

"Ohayo Kaoru-chan…" he said expressionless as usual…

"Ohayo Kamiya-dono." I heard someone say.

Slowly I turned my head to see a young man, probably not much older than me and very good looking. He was smiling at me and even though I felt uncomfortable like if something wasn't right. I paid a little more attention and finally understood what was annoying me, he was looking at me like a hungry wolf! 'Why you… hentai! How humiliating!' From that moment I just plain hated that guy.

"Ohayo…" I muttered glaring daggers at him. At first he seemed a little surprised but then he grinned viciously at me and apparently started to enjoy it! I kept my head high and sat down by my father just across the weird, pervert guy.

"So…" my father started talking but I simply cut in.

"I didn't know we were having visitors… Nana-san didn't tell me anything about it." I said calmly.

"She didn't know…" he answered.

"Oh…"

The room was silent but I decided I hadn't finished my questions…

"Forgive my rudeness but who is he?"

"Atsu Fuyaki." He said in the tone that meant - no more questions -.

**Normal POV**

The servants started serving the meal and for a while nothing was heard except eating sounds.

"Do you remember me telling you about that big enterprise?" Kamiya-sama asked his daughter.

"Yes…"

"Well this is the actual owner of that company…"

"Soooo…. Just cut to the chase otou-san." She said rudely. Although she always tried to be kind and understandable towards her father most of the times Kaoru would loose her temper very quickly especially if she knew something very wrong was being hidden from her.

He looked at her angrily and coldly said "You're engaged to him and you two will marry as soon as you finish high school."

"NANI?!?!?!" the girl shouted near tears.

**Kaoru's POV**

'It cannot be…' I choked as I heard the words come out of his mouth.

"I can't believe it! You're doing this for the money I bet! How could you otou-san!!!!"

Atsu-sama looked at me amused and that only angered me more.

"I'M NOT GOING TO MARRY HIM AND THAT'S FINAL!!!" I shouted alerting everyone in the house.

"You will do as I say, I'm still you're father so I know what's best for you. With time you'll get used to the idea… now shut up, sit down and eat your breakfast. Gomen nasai for this little incident Atsu-sama."

"It's ok." He said coldly but still amused "You warned me that she wouldn't react well to the news, demo… I think I even like her more being hard like this… it'll make things… funnier." He stated ending with a horrible nasty look at me.

By that time I completely freaked out and though 'The HELL with it! I'm not just going to stand here and listen to this like I'm some piece of $%#&!'

"No otou-san… you are so wrong…" I said this coldly, calmly and expressionless like I never ever had talked to otou-san "you ceased being my father from the moment you stopped carrying for me as a person and only seeing me as an object. I will not marry that man even if I have to kill myself… mark my words." With that I stood up throwing the chair to the ground and got out of the room as fast I could crying, as my world crashed down or at least what was left of it.

I went to my room and threw myself on to the bed. Few seconds after Nana entered the room closing the door behind her and sat beside me comforting me.

**Glossary:**

Otou-san: father

Okaa-san: mother

Demo: but

Gomen nasai: I'm very sorry

Ohayo: good morning

**Me: **Well how did you like it? This is my first fanfic! YAY! L0ol Now really I hpe you liked it… and I hope it doesn't have many errors cause you see I'm Portuguese =) I'm not English nor I am Japanese(the two languages used here) ( I wish I could be! Not that I don't like my country! Not at ALL! I love it! It's great… just that I'm a little tired of it…). Think of me a a maniac who thinks will ever get to go to Japan and practice his (her to be more precise) Japanese as I've been to England already!

**Everyone:** JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!!!!

**Me:** Ok… =x

_**Ja ne!**_

_**Do you see the little button that says review? WELL JUST TOUCH IT! It'll happen a funny thing! I promise coughs liar coughs =D**_


	2. Jogging to Relax

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rurouni Kenshin nor do I own Nike.

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**Jogging to relax**

**Normal POV**

There they stood for what it seemed to be hours… At some point Kaoru finally stopped crying, her beautiful sapphire eyes were red and puffy.

"It will be all right sweetheart. It's ok, you'll be all right." Nana whispered in the girl's ear for the 100th time.

Kaoru hugged the old maid and sobbed a little more on her shoulder.

"Nana-san?"

"Hai…" she answered soothing her long raven hair.

"You'll always be by my side, won't you?" Kaoru asked.

"Of course I will… you know better than anyone that I will always be here when you need me…" she said gently.

**Kaoru's POV**

Those words were enough to make me regain my courage so I just stood up, cleaned my tears and shot a little confident smile at Nana. She smiled back at me and I thought 'I cannot just go and worry her… I mean she already has her own life to worry about… I'll make it on my own… everything will surely be alright!'

"Nana-san, I'm going jogging down the beach… it helps me relax. Tell sensei that I'm going to skip kenjutsu class today."

"Ok, Kaoru-dono. Are coming back for dinner?"

"I… I dunno… but I'll be back late…" I said unsure of myself 'I don't even know if I'll come back…'

Nana-san approached me kissed me on the forehead sweetly and said "Don't do anything foolish little girl…" and with that she left the room.

I dressed up my light blue Nike shorts with the matching tank top and on top of it I dressed a white t-shirt. Then I fetched my tennis shoes and set off running, when I got to the entrance I noticed they were gone and then yelled "JA NE MINNA-SAN!".

Jogging always helped me clear my thoughts and I really needed to make mine clear…

Soon I reached the beach and saw everyone laughing and having fun 'Why can't I just be having fun like them?'

I continued running, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. When I reached the end of the beach I climbed some rocks and then easily jumped from rock to rock without hurting myself or falling to the sea until I got where I wanted.

A little piece of beach, nice, quiet and isolated, my private place… oh it felt so right stepping on the hot silky sand. I used to come here either to think or to hide from something or somebody. I sat comfortably on the sand and took off my tennis shoes.

'I remember once… I got mad at otou-san for not going to "Sons&Parents Day" at school and I came crying to this place. It's was a hot day… I still remember how the sun burned my skin so I went to take a bath on the sea. When I got off I didn't have a towel so I laid on the sand and let the sun dry me… when I got home that day… I was so sure of myself… I didn't care if he was going or not! I was going and I was going to have fun!'

That precise moment I got up and took off my clothes only to stay in my underwear and…

SPLASH!

It tasted so well, the cool water… I swam for a long time then I got tired and laid myself on the sand.

**Normal POV**

A few minutes later Kaoru was deeply asleep…

_Okaa-san! Konnichiwa!!!_

_Oh, hi little one!_

_A young beautiful woman hugged her little daughter…_

_Kao-chan, what's your greatest dream?_

_Two sapphire blue eyes looked at her surprised. She had never thought of it… really… she hadn't._

_Greatest dream?_

_Hai… Something that you really wish someday will happen…_

_Oh… I… she blushed a little embarrassed and then continued …I wish I could live in the time when samurais existed!_

_Is that so?! Her mother asked laughing._

_What's so funny okaa-san?_

_Well, that's not a wish a girl usually makes. But that only proves how special you are…_

_I hate being a girl! We've to do so many things! I like to fight! It's much easier! Life is easier!_

_Yes, I know you do… she said pointing at the bruises the little girl had on her arms from her little adventures._

_Okaa-san, what's you're greatest wish?_

_Mine?_

_Hai…_

_It's making all you're dreams come true…_

_Giggles are heard and all of a sudden everything turns black…_

**Summer 1878**

Kaoru is still sleeping peacefully not knowing whatever happened around her.

It's exactly on the same spot she fell asleep that she wakes up…

"I must have fallen asleep…" she says out loud.

**Kaoru's POV**

'How long have I been asleep? I better get myself dressed… I mean it's almost dinner time… and I must admit I'm hungry.'

"Growllll" 'And this IS my stomach… man I'm hungry!'

She started to get herself dressed up again when she noticed something… 'Hey… I've been lying on the son for many hours… how come I'm not all burned up? I'm not even tanned…' she checked herself again and then muttered "Bit's me…"

**_Continue on the next chappie…_**

**_So remember the review button has no charge on it! Just click it or… or… or else! Make me a happy author =) pweeeeesaaaaaeeee!_**


	3. When am I?

**Disclaimer:** oh... you know same thing ever... i mean like little ol' me would **_own _**Rurouni Kenshin... well kenshin maybe, and sano, and aoshi, and... ok i'll just shut up my parents always taught me not to tell lies... =P

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**When am I?**

**Normal POV**

Kaoru was ready to go home so she walked to the rocks nearby, that she had passed earlier...

**Kaoru's POV**

'Oh my… I don't recall this rock being so high… and… how come that one's so near this one? It wasn't supposed to be like this…' I looked around trying to understand… demo I just couldn't 'I must be soooo hungry I already started making confusions… I mean! There's nothing wrong here! I'm just being silly…'

I climbed the rocks and, not so easily, I managed to pass. Somehow my movements where according to the disposition of the rocks… To my relief I finally hit the sand on the other side and then…

'OH MY!!! The sun did made some damage… I mean it's not THAT late… people usually stand here much longer and I don't see anybody and then I almost swear that thing over there is a freakin' harbor! I'm completely sure that there wasn't ANY harbor here before!' I continued to walk looking around for the path I had taken when I had first come to the beach.

"Kuso! Where is it?" I said in a mid tone voice.

As I didn't seem to find the original path I jogged to another one near the… harbor? All of a sudden my brain clicked 'Maybe they're going to make a film… during an ancient era or somethin' like that! And this must be a scenario…' I glanced to the old looking harbor with old looking boats and found myself thinking 'It seems real… there's no doubt that nowadays one can make anything… still I don't understand how did they covered the other path… but then again producers can be weird!'

I reached the path and stopped running. 'Ohhhh look at that guy he must be the actor that pretends to be the samurai. I wonder if he's part of the good guys or the bad ones! This is sooo cool. I'm so gonna see this movie…'

**Normal POV**

Everyone in the harbor was staring at the amused Kaoru thinking 'Who the hell is this crazy girl that is walking on the harbor on what it seemed to be her underwear giggling like mad?' or 'Youth these days!'

Kaoru was so lost in her thoughts that didn't notice people staring at her like if she was crazy. She started to go up the path to finally go home.

As soon as she reached what used to be the main street her jaw fell and she completely freaked out.

**Kaoru's POV**

'OK now this is starting to creep me out! I mean the harbor is one thing but… WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO THE MAIN STREET?!?!?!' she looked around in despair and started walking randomly, attracting even more attention to her person. 'Where are the cars? The motorbikes? Where in hell are the beach sports shops, the café's, the restaurants?! I really have to go home… I'm hallucinating!'

I started to run as fast as I could towards where my house was supposed to be. I ran and ran through those strange streets with people looking at me and whispering. I was afraid, so very afraid…

'I'm almost home… I'm almost home' I thought… but I wasn't cause when I thought it was over I lifted my head and couldn't help but to scream…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Where's my… h, house…?" tears started to stream down my face… where my house was supposed to be was a… forest…

"This must be a bad dream… I'll wake up soon… this can't be happening… it can't!" I continued out loud.

My mind was screaming and I was panicking so I did what anyone would have done, I think… went to the nearest tree.

"If I'm dreaming this won't hurt and probably I'll wake up in the sand just where I fell asleep!"

I gathered up all my guts, swallowed hard, closed my eyes and…

"ITAI!!!!" a sharp pain hit me real hard and a few seconds later I saw a string of blood streaming from my forehead. I put my hand on it… 'I just wounded myself… this… blood… no dream is so real…'

I was confused so I started walking without noticing where I was going and got deeper in the forest.

**Normal POV**

She walked for at least half an hour but then she couldn't take it anymore and fainted in the middle of nowhere.

**1 hour later**

A small man that seemed to be still young, with long flaming hair and piercing violet eyes looked at the fainted Kaoru. He then got down on his knees and tried to wake her up, no such luck. Finally he noticed the self-inflicted wound on her forehead…

**Kenshin's POV** (A/N: and here is our Kenshin! Yay!)

As I walked trough the forest I noticed someone on the floor. I got near to see who it was and when I did so I found a raven haired girl dressed up in strange clothes fainted. I tried to wake her up but couldn't. Then I removed the bangs that were covering her face and my heart skipped a beat… she had the most beautiful features I had ever seen 'Kami-sama she's beautiful…' I looked again carefully at her and saw a wound on her forehead.

'I can't just let her stay here abandoned…' I was decided… I picked her up and was surprised; she was as light as a feather. OK so I'm the Hitokiri Battousai! So what? I know I have strength but even though… she was so light… I walked a little until I got to the nearby water stream. I laid her down, got an old cloth and soaked it up on the water.

"Miss…" I called while I cleaned her wound.

"Miss wake up…" I tried again…

"Onegai, wake up…" she finally moved her hand and let out a sigh.

When I was about to shake her a little a beautiful smile appeared on her lips and she started muttering…

**Kaoru's POV**

"Nana-san…?" I whispered… 'It as all a dream… thank goodness… I never had such a strange dream…'

"Miss? Daijjobu?" I heard someone say…

"Nana-san I had the strangest dream! I dreamt I had gone back to the past! To the samurai era! And I couldn't find our house and…" finally I opened my eyes and looked around 'Wha…? Where am I?'

"I'm glad you're awake miss…" I turned my head and saw this gorgeous, hot simply dreamy guy smiling at me. He had red hair and beautiful caring violet eyes. He was wearing…

"Eeeek!!!! Ahhhh!!!" I shouted in shock…

SLAAPPP

**Kenshin's POV**

She had just waken up and I was trying to figure what she was talking about when all of a sudden I registered a sharp pain on my left cheek.

"OROOOOO?!" (A/N: Imagine him swirly eyed and falling back anime style)

"Eeeeeekkkkk!" she got up but as she was still weak she fell down again or at least would have if I hadn't caught her.

"Get you're hands of me! You baka!" she said as she backed away nervously.

By that time I was getting really confused… "Miss…"

"Who are you? Where am I? WHEN am I?" she said before I could finish my sentence…

**Glossary:**

Kuso: damn

Onegai: please

Itai: ouch

Daijobu: are you ok?

**_Ok so this is it for today's chapter… I'll probably write another one but I won't post it right away… mwahahah I wanna make you people suffer! But I luv u all! ;)_**

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**_Well you know what happens now… REVIEW REVIEW or feel my wrath!!!_**


	4. Meeting of strangers

**Disclaimer: **same &%$ always... ya know... I don't own rurouni and whatever is in this fanfic that I'm not supposed to own except the plot… come to think of it we fanfic writers should claim our rights! Freedooom I do own KENSHIN! I don't care if you think I don't! I don't care if you KNOW I don't! He's mine!!!!

Btw thank you to all the reviewers… and yes **Lady Battousai456** I do like to make u guys suffer muahahahah I'm an evil person… so evil I stay up late so u guys can read this new chapter! **cincygurl22** he was wearing a gi and hakama, I don't think it's usual to see (a hot guy like him, just kiddin') a guy "walking on the streets" with those clothes nowadays… besides she just had waken up thinking it all had been a dream, imagine Kaoru's shock! Poor Kaoru … imagine if Nana-san had turned into a hot guy out of epoch, wouldn't u freak out? L0ol

'…'thoughts / "…" speech

**Meeting of strangers**

**Normal POV**

"Miss, you've got quite a bump there. Maybe if you rest a little, things will come clearer…" he said awkwardly.

"What do you mean, quite a bump? I mean you're one of them aren't you?" Kaoru said stupidly still not understanding anything.

"Miss, you have a wound on your head. Who are them?" he talked to her patiently.

"The a-c-t-o-r-s! You're one of them aren't you? I mean you have the clothes, the look, you even have a sword! People don't just carry a sword around nowadays you know?!"

"No I'm not an actor, yes I know that it's not legal to carry swords but anyway mine has a reverse blade so it can't actually kill anyone." He answered in an angry tone. His other self was getting tired of that girl's strange way of acting.

**Kaoru's POV**

'Gosh what a bad temper…' I looked at him and notice something different 'I would swear he had violet gentle eyes… why are they amber and menacing now?' I then realized that I must have irritated him, although I still couldn't understand the change on his eyes color, so I calmed down and tried not to sound too crazy. 'I don't want my head cut off… he does have a sword… no matter what he says…'

"Gomen nasai… demo… I'm just a little confused…" I said in a whimpering voice 'Ohhh should win an Oscar for this one!'

His eyes changed back into the gentle violet they were before… "It's ok miss. As I said you've got quite a bump."

**Kenshin's POV**

I looked at her; it was understandable she was in such state… 'Must control myself better' the rurouni me thought 'No you don't… while she was blabbering why didn't you just kissed her! That way she would shut up and you had you're reward for helping the girl!' the battousai me said 'NO!' the rurouni said, 'YES!' the battousai replied, 'Just shut up already!'

I got up and offered my hand to help her get up; she grabbed it and got up. As she wasn't so dizzy as before she managed to stay up.

"The sun must be setting… it's getting darker by the minute…" I said.

"Uhm… Sir? I'm a little lost… you wouldn't mind if… I stood with you, would you?" she asked so shyly and sweetly I thought my heart would melt…

The only thing I managed to do was shake my head affirmatively and started walking to the nearest village mumbling something like "Let's see if we can find an inn… you had a tiring day miss…"

**Kaoru's POV**

We walked towards the nearest village in silence. During that period of time I… let's just say that I entertained myself observing my companion… his eyes were really fascinating, his hair... I never felt such an urge to touch something and finally the weird cross shaped scar on his left cheek, right where I had slapped him, I almost pitied him for that. I reached a conclusion 'He's like… the hottest guy I've ever met… the girls back at home would be crazy if they saw him!' deep inside I really didn't want them to see him but still didn't understand why…

We entered the village, the streets were pretty much empty and the buildings were without any doubt from another epoch, which was certainly not mine. My head hurt like crazy, as well as my feet plus I was so damn tired I would sleep anywhere! One single question passed my thoughts 'When am I?'

I gathered up courage to ask him the ultimate question, I was certain that he would think I was crazy… demo… I had to know…

"Excuse me, sir…" he stopped and turned his head to me to hear what I had to say "I… I… I know you'll think I'm crazy for asking this, demo…" I lowered my voice tone changing it into almost a whisper "In what year are we?" after that I shot a glare at him that clearly said "please-just-answer-and-don't-ask-questions".

He smiled at me like he always seemed to do and answered naturally "1878 miss…"

"Arigato…"

"Oh here's a inn we can stay." He said cheerfully. It was a nice old house, not very big, but it was well taken care of and had this very cozy look.

I smiled and then another worry stroked me "Sir… I don't have any money… Do you have enough for both of us?"

"Good point…" he said, but still he kept his smile so I didn't understand him.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't have enough for both of us…" he said calmly and still smiling 'Damn how can he be smiling?!'

"Nani???" I panicked (A/N: imagine her falling backwards anime style with a huge sweat drop…)

He patted my shoulder and pointed to this wooden sign with pretty well designed characters saying: "Promotions for couples!!!" and the price was right below it. I blushed my head off and then glared at him.

"You don't mean…"

"It's the only way of getting us some place to stay, de gozaru." He said smiling at me. Then he offered me his arm, I blushed like mad over and over again before I took it.

**Kenshin's POV**

That sign was what saved us from sleeping on the street… a single room was much more expensive than what I could afford, so that promotion was our savior. When I offered my arm to her she blushed what made her be even more beautiful 'Kami-sama… she's gonna drive sessha mad…' I thought 'You fool just take her! She's completely yours….' the battousai said 'Iie, sessha cannot do so…'

I felt a pull, she had stopped. I turned to see what happened and when I did so I saw her worried eyes.

"Daijobu?"

"Erm… it's just… my clothes… people uh… I mean they're not proper… they'll think it's odd…" she said in a not so sure voice.

She was right… but why was she wearing just the underwear… Had something happened to her?

I looked around with attention and then it occurred to me 'There must be some clothes drying around here ne? There are many houses around…'

"Stay here. I'll be right back!" and with that I ran off.

I looked around the first house, nothing, the second house, nothing but finally the third house caught my attention. I went around the house to look closer; there it was a colorful kimono that seemed the right size. I picked it up and made a quick bow. "Gomen…"

By the time we finally entered the inn the sun had set and the day had turned into a dark night with no moon.

**Normal POV**

The couple entered the inn without drawing too much attention upon them.

"Go ahead and take care of that. I'll wait here!" Kaoru said as she leaned herself against the wall.

He nodded and went to talk with the man in the reception. He was an old man with grey hair and a moustache, wearing a black gi and with glasses.

"Good evening Sir. How may I help you?"

"I would like a room for me and my wife over there." Kenshin said pointing Kaoru out. "You see we're on our honeymoon…"

"You have a beautiful wife Sir…" he said smiling ever so lightly.

"Thank you…"

He paid and then the receptionist said "I'll guide you too your room. Follow me please."

Kenshin went near Kaoru who had almost dozed off and whispered lovingly on her ear "Just make a last effort. Soon enough will have a bed to sleep in…"

She was very tired, but even though she smiled at him took his arm once again and followed the older man.

The inn had a few rooms free and they stopped right in front of the last one on the first floor. The old man opened the shoji "Hope you like your room… Have a good night!" and then he walked away.

They entered the room quietly in order not to disturb the other people and for a second they though why they were doing so if there wasn't any people in the near rooms and also why had the old man isolated them (A/N: Yeah… right! Like they don't know! ).

Kenshin slid the shoji and turned around too see the room. There was only one futon. Kaoru was near one corner of the room waiting for him to tell what to do now…

"You can sleep in the futon miss. You must be very tired…" he said and then went to seat himself against a wall with his sword against his shoulder.

**Kenshin's POV**

I sat down and watched her trough my hair bangs undressing the kimono (A/N: remember she was the other clothes under the kimono, so no pervert ideas pals!). Then she sat on the futon, braided her long silky hair and finally looked at me, checking if I was already asleep.

"Arigato…" I heard her say quietly.

I lifted my head and looked at her straight in the eyes 'She has beautiful eyes…' she was tired and by what it seemed she was confused, even if she didn't want to tell I would know cause her eyes tell everything. "It's ok… really…"

"Iie… let me finish… Arigato for having helped me. You have a great heart sir… even without knowing me and after all the things I said to you, you still helped me…"

"I…"

"Let me finish…" she pleaded "I was wondering sir… how can I repay you for your kindness?"

'Just ask her for a kiss or something like that! I mean look at her!!!' the battousai tried to make his will prevail 'Iie… sessha wouldn't do such thing…' the rurouni replied 'Just knowing her name would be satisfying…'

"Well…" he started and then paused for a moment.

**Kaoru's POV**

My heart froze. 'What is he going to ask of me?'

"Well I would like to know your name… that… would be a fine repaying manner…" he said smiling at me brightly. My gaze was locked in his for a couple of moments 'He's right… I mean we're faking to be married and we don't even know each other names!'

"Kamyia Kaoru." I said reluctantly because for a second I though if it would be safe to tell him my real name being on the situation I was and all… but then again… the situation couldn't get worse could it?

**Kenshin's POV**

"That's a beautiful name…" he muttered carelessly 'It matches its owner…'

"Sir…" her crystal voice interrupted my thoughts "Could I ask you one more favor?"

I nodded… "May I know the name of the man who has been helping me for the past hours?"

I stared at her intently, wishing she wouldn't recognize me by my name.

"Himura Kenshin."

By that time she was lying on the futon, covered and ready to sleep… "Arigato… Kenshin… sleep well…" she said so sweetly that I froze… after that she dozed off to sleep and I just stood there incapable of moving one single muscle 'It's been a long time since I was last called by my first name…'

**Glossary:**

Nani: what?

Sessha: something Kenshin calls himself (I think it means 'this unworthy one')

De gozaru: something Kenshin sometimes says at the end of a sentence

Iie: no

Hai: yes

Gomen: sorry

**_Me: I'm sooooooo tired! Do you know what freakin' time it is?! 2h in the morning! I've been finishing this chapter just for you guys to be happy! praise me and yesterday it was 4h in the morning when I went to bed I'm crazy… but you know what would cure me? Guess what?_**

****

**_REVIEWS!!! Lots and lots of them! =D_**


	5. A new day, a new start?

**Disclaimer: **ok… one more time… it's all that u read before plus I don't own "Accidentally in love" music… counting crows does… now off to the chapter we go!

**A new day… a new start?**

**Normal POV**

Silence was crowding the room, but soon it was broken by a whimper…

Kenshin opened his eyes and looked around the room… nothing. He got up; he wasn't sleepy anyway, he never really was… His gaze fell upon the sleeping Kaoru.

**Kenshin's POV**

'She looks like an angel.' I walked to her side and sat down quietly, never taking my gaze from her. The sight of her lying there so innocent, so pure made me smile. I focused on her features and then I saw the painful look on her angelical face and I felt my heart shatter 'Why am I feeling this way?'

"Okaa-san…" she said in a faint whimper. I then understood where the whimper that had caught up my attention had come from…

"Okaa-san… please don't leave me…" her little voice cried.

My hand floated above her head 'Should I… try to calm her?' my hand went back to its original place… I just couldn't…

"Okaa-san… I'm lost…" her voice was tense. She tossed and turned around for a few seconds just moaning and whimpering to finally get to her original position. I really pitied her and wanted to help, but it was as if there was a wall between us and it was keeping me away from her.

"No! Wait, please…" she said but this time louder "Tell me… home… where's our house? Where I am? Okaa-san please…" tears started to stream down her facing, sulking slowly through her soft cheeks!

I lifted my hand once again… I couldn't take it anymore, not with her crying like that! I was about to softly set my hand on her forehead when…

"NOOO! Please! Okaa-san, help me… please… I… I need you…" she had sat up colliding against my hand, she was trembling…

**Kaoru's POV**

'No, please… don't abandon me… not again… I need you!' it had been a dream… I was dreaming once again… but the images running through my head over and over again! I didn't want to open my eyes, I didn't want to wake up! I was so afraid of what I was going to see…

I started to rise and then my head collided against something... I opened my eyes just to see what I feared the most, it wasn't a dream…

"Why is she doing this…?" I muttered "I need her… I need her so much…" I started crying once again.

A warm hand patted my shoulder lightly and I turned my head to see Kenshin looking at me. He had a worried yet calm look on his face…

"It's ok… it was just a dream…" he whispered softly.

He seemed so calm, so comforting… I threw my arms around his neck and cried carelessly. 'He's so soft, so warm… it feels so right, here in his arms…'

**Kenshin's POV**

She was crying and didn't seem to notice I was there so I patted her shoulder and spoke softly to her, trying to calm her down.

All of a sudden she threw her arms around my neck. 'What's she doing?!' I thought. My eyes widened with surprise and I lost control. My arms snaked around her waist pulling her close to me… She smelled like jasmine… her skin was soft and warm… some silky ebony locks escaped her braid and rushed against my face. 'It feels so good…'

"It's ok…" I whispered in her ear "You're safe now… it's over Kaoru-dono. Just don't cry anymore…

It was no use; she continued sobbing on my shoulder… 'Ah! Like talking will change anything!' the battousai said 'Sessha is loosing control quite often… you weren't supposed to appear…' the rurouni said surprised 'Yeah, right! Like you could control yourself having her so near… just think of it…' the battousai was getting quite thrilled… 'Iie! You leave Kaoru-dono out of your perverted ideas!' the rurouni replied 'Why the honorific… she's just like any other girl, is she not?' the battousai grinned evilly and the rurouni just blushed 'Touché! I won dumb ass!'

The battousai took hold of my for a couple of seconds… time enough for me… him… WHATEVER! Set Kaoru-dono's hair loose from the braid after that I managed to gain control over myself but couldn't help to think 'Her hair is so smooth and soft…' (A/N: I wonder what shampoo does she wear? I just had to spoil the moment hadn't I? grins evilly)

**Kaoru's POV**

Everything was okay until I realized… 'KUSO! I just met him and I'm already hugging him… poor Kenshin… he must think I'm a slut! I mean it's not like I'm in my epoch or anything!'

I got away from him embarrassed at my action "Arigato…!" I mumbled hiding my face behind my hair bangs, by the way… how did my hair got loose? I looked at the ground and there was my hair ribbon. Picked it up and gave a quick look to Kenshin "Nahhh…" I said quietly although he was blushing like mad… I started to giggle like a little girl… 'Guess I wasn't the only one getting carried away…'

Kenshin stared at me puzzled, I couldn't resist but to chuckle.

"You're blushing Kenshin!" he got even redder and I simply walked to the window 'He looks sooo cute when he blushes…'

The sun was rising 'What a beautiful sunrise!' I thought with a smile on my lips. The dream and all the other worries were put aside, I was ready to welcome the new day.

"Come and see the sunrise Kenshin!" I called him in a childish way "It's beautiful…" I said sticking my tongue playfully at him.

**Normal POV**

The embarrassment was forgotten. Kenshin stood behind Kaoru, watching the sun rising slowly on the horizon.

"It really is beautiful." He said, she nodded in agreement not noticing he wasn't staring at the sunrise but instead he was looking at her.

Kaoru opened her arms embracing the new day. The light hit her fully; she looked… perfect. As for Kenshin, he couldn't help but to smile brightly.

**Kenshin's POV**

As I stood there smiling, I cursed myself for tainting the hair she was breeding with my unworthy presence 'She's so pure and innocent…' I tried to compare her to something really beautiful… demo… I couldn't! She was more beautiful than anything I could come up with! 'You're so naïve…' the battousai snickered 'Oh just shut the #$&% up!' the rurouni replied in a pissed off tone…

The moment was really being blissful but as everything in life, it ended.

"Knock knock" someone knocked on the shoji.

As I walked to open the shoji, Kaoru-dono quickly got a sheet from the futon and covered herself up and then came by mi side to see who it was.

I opened the shoji and saw the old man from the reception. R«the man looked at up smiling.

"Gomen… I hope I'm not interrupting anything…" we just sweat dropped embarrassed.

"Not at all…" I replied honestly.

"I was just thinking if you would rather take your breakfast in the room, since it is included in the price…"

I looked over at Kaoru-dono questioningly and… let's just say she took care of it!

"Yes, that would be nice…" she said in a sweet "oh-I'm-so-happy-voice". To complete the act she took my hand, kissed my cheek gulp and said "Don't you agree, honey?"

I nodded, since I was quite… uncomfortable… with the situation… 'Riiiiight… call it uncomfortable! You're just having trouble controlling yourself!' the battousai said in triumph 'Am not!'; 'Are to!'; 'Am not! Am not! Am not!'; 'Yes, you are…'; 'Hmph!!!'

The shoji was closed again and she let go of my hand.

"I'm going to get myself dressed…" she said as she let the sheet slide down.

All of a sudden I felt an urge to bang my head against the nearest wall but instead I… I… I teased her! Me!

"Look who's the actor now…" and oh the blasphemy! I grinned at her! 'Sessha mustn't let you do these things!' the rurouni was feeling quite… annoyed 'Hehe… like I care…' the battousai said. Sometimes I just wished he would go away… I regained my sanity and calmed down.

**Kaoru's POV**

I stared at him in disbelief 'Did he just like… tease me? In like flirting…? And grinned…' I didn't have to know him that well to see that Kenshin wasn't like that… as I just stared at him, he must have got worried or something…

"Gomen nasai Kaoru-dono! I didn't mean to offend you!" he was really stressed about that! Soooo cute!

"It's ok Kenshin!" I said and started laughing amused. Now I call the look he had on his face the "oh-I'm-so-dumbfounded-look"!

"Kenshin, could you please close your eyes and turn away for a couple of minutes?" I wanted to take off the shorts and the tank top, I mean the day was going to be hot and walking around with that under the kimono would only make me even hotter… he obeyed quickly 'Hum… an obedient guy…' and I changed clothes.

"It's ok now… you may look Kenshin." I said when I had finished dressing myself up.

He turned around and saw me picking up the shorts and the tank top. His jaw dropped and he got completely embarrassed. "Go, gomen!" he said seeing that I too was embarrassed.

"OH no… nothing like that Kenshin! These are not my underwear!" 'Oh the shame… imagine what passed trough his mind! Oh the possibilities! Gosh…' I thought embarrassed "These clothes are…" how in the world was I going to explain this to him…? as I couldn't think of anything, I told the truth trying not to sound toooo much crazy… "These are training clothes… You see I use them to go jogging…"

"Jogging?" he asked confused 'Oh shoot! I forgot they still don't know what jogging is…'

"Uh…"

"Knock knock!" saved by the door!

I ran to open the door. "Why… thank you." I picked up the breakfast from the waiter arms and closed the door. The breakfast looked excellent. I heard my tummy growl and remembered I hadn't eaten anything for hours… since yesterday half eaten breakfast. The memories of what had happened the morning before almost made me loose all the courage I had gained to continue with my life. 'What am I going to do?' We started to eat silently.

Kenshin noticed my worried look "Daijobu?"

"Iie…" I answered honestly.

"What's wrong Kaoru-dono?" he asked in a worried tone. 'How could he be so worried if he just met me? He's so sweet…' I felt my cheeks redden 'Kami… why am I blushing? It's not like I feel anything for him!'

"It's just that…" how could I tell him…? I couldn't just tell him 'Hey you know what Kenshin? I'm from the future! 2004 to be more exact…' he would think I was crazy. "It's… nothing. You wouldn't understand. You would think I'm crazy or something."

"I'm sorry I cannot help you… I really am…" he said sadly and half hearted.

"It's ok… really…"

Silence fell upon us once again. Only the sound of us eating and some noise coming from the streets was heard.

"Kenshin…?"

**Kenshin's POV**

I heard her call my name weakly and looked at her straight in the eyes… I knew something was wrong and wished deeply I could help.

"If you had your family waiting for you but you were mad at them, really mad… would you still go home?" she asked me.

I pondered in my answer "Yes… of course… there's nothing like having a family. I would definitely go home if I had a family waiting…" I answered naturally.

"You mean… you don't have a family? Oh gomen I didn't mean to…"

"It's ok…" I tranquilized her "I only had my parents… but they died when I was little…" I said to my own surprise 'How come I am telling this to her? I don't usually go off telling my past to everyone…'

"Okaa-san died when I was very young too…" she smiled at me faithfully "Thank you for sharing your memories with me…"

Her eyes were so full of sadness I almost couldn't stand looking at them "Kaoru-dono…" I said in a soft voice "I really want to help. Please tell me what's wrong."

She bit her lip "The only thing I can say is that I screwed up big time… and now I don't know how to get back home…"

"Where do you live?" I tried.

"I… leave really far away… it takes a lot of… "Time"… to get there." She looked at me pleading for not asking any more questions…

We finished eating and got up.

**Kaoru's POV**

'The dream on the beach… the answer on how to get back home must be there… why did okaa-san do this to me? Maybe it was a punishment for having disobeyed otou-san… if only I could remember the dream…'

"The day is lovely Kaoru-dono. Would you like to accompanying sessha for a walk?" his sweet, deep voice interrupted my thoughts. 'Sessha? Why in hell does he call himself that?'

"A walk would be good… thank you!" I cheered up to the thought of a walk 'It will certainly be nice. Maybe it will even help me remember that darn dream!' my hope was restored although I didn't get why Kenshin's presence made me restore it and in his simple words he was in someway encouraging me… 'Hey… maybe I'm in love!' NANI?! 'Did I just think what I think I thought?' I'm being foolish… still I couldn't help to sing "So she said, "What's the problem, baby?"  
What's the problem I don't know  
Well, maybe I'm in love (love)   
Think about it everytime  
I think about it  
Can't stop thinking about it…" with that I also remembered the film "Shrek 2" and laughed my head off.

Kenshin looked at me smiling while I picked up my clothes and made a little bundle pack. I knew he had only money enough for one night and that night had already been…

"Let's go!" I said laughing.

**Me: Iei! One more chapter! U wouldn't believe what happened! I mean! I work so hard for u guys I screw up! L0ol yesterday once again I went to bed really late… but that's because I'm on holidays and I'm never sleepy… so the computer room was really really really hot! It seemed an oven in there… so I opened the window (clever idea you say…) well 3h30 in the morning and I set off the house alarm! . god… I woke up my mother, my brother, probably the whole neighborhood and my grandmother in her house! Oo I just didn't wake up my father because he's in Angola working! And even though… well and that's my pretty life l0ol =) hope u liked the chapter and remember… REVIEW PLEASE! I'm dying here!!! Someday I'll end up firing a nuclear bomb without noticing… O.o**


	6. A walk turns into a run

**Disclaimer: **uhm know what? JUST SUE ME! Bring out the best lawyers if you want but I'm not gonna say it this time! Oh no I'm definitely not! I mean I said it thousands of times! What difference would it make… now on with the chapter...

**A walk turns into… a run!**

**Normal POV**

Kaoru took Kenshin's hand innocently and pulled him out until they were in the street.

"Oro…" Kenshin muttered.

"Arigato!!!" Kaoru yelled effusively at the smiling receptionist, waving. "This street is a lot nicer by day!" she appreciated.

"You're right Kaoru-dono, de gozaru…"

Kaoru looked around "Oh look! Those kimonos are so beautiful!" and headed towards the kimonos tent. "Oh and look at that!" once again she ran toward it and so on and so on. She was still holding Kenshin's hand when all of a sudden she saw something cute in one tent started running to there but also she let go of Kenshin's hand who fell with his face right on the ground…

"Crash!"

"Ororororoooo…" Kenshin was lying on the floor oroing when Kaoru turned to see where he was…

"Kenshin! What are you doing on the floor baka? I mean you could have just told me you were tired!" she said innocently and honestly.

"Oro?!"

She got down on her knees and asked gently "Did you get hurt?" he shook his head and started getting up, she helped him promptly.

A group of rude boys approached "Hey! Girl! Let the looser and come with us!"

Kaoru turned to them even though Kenshin tried to stop her "Are you by any chance talking to me?" she asked in a menacing tone.

"Yeah why?"

"And did you by any chance just called him a looser?" she ignored their question and now she really was getting frightening.

The guys laughed "Yeah, why? Does that bother ya?"

"You have one only chance of apologizing to me, Kenshin and everyone else on this street for having bothered us with your disgusting presence or your dead…" she WAS murderous!

People had gathered a circle around them.

**Kaoru's POV**

'What JERKS!' I never had had the temper to put up with those kinds of people and I was decided to teach them a lesson…

"Kaoru-dono, onegai…" Kenshin tried to stop me but I didn't care.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? Why are you defending him girl? He's a looser… And what do you think you can do against us? You're a girl…"

"Look… apologize or I'll beat the crap out of you… it's simple! Or are you guys so dumb you don't understand what I'm saying?"

"That's beautiful, a slut defending her little boyfriend… what do you say guys, shall we take her home with us? She seems quite funny…"

Kenshin gave them a deadly gaze by the time they called me slut and coldly said "Answer her… now…"

"That's nice lover boy… I'm sooo frightened!" he laughed mocking us and closed the gap between me and him, I thought 'Perfect…'

He tried to grab my waist but before he could do so I caught his arm and oops…

"I didn't know you had them…" I said as he screamed his head off; I had just kicked him straight in his upper middle, let's say I kicked hard enough to make the possibility of him not having any children… 'Ouch! That must have got to hurt!' I thought amused.

All the others stared at me surprised…

"What are you waiting for? Beat the crap out of them!" the leader said, still on the ground.

What happened next was pure, dull fight… I positioned in a standard fighting position and almost after I made a guy fly over me… I'm sure sensei would have been proud of me if he had seen me kicking those guys' asses! And Kenshin… wow… he was amazing… I never thought he could fight like that… he had just started when one of the guys shouted "He's the Hitokiri Battousai! Run for you're lives!" they started running like cowards and I couldn't help but to shout "And keep this in mind, Kenshin is ten thousand times better than you jerks will ever be!"

I turned around and started to walk away when I noticed people were backing frightened.

I looked at Kenshin to see if he knew something and I noticed his eyes were amber once again… then my brain clicked 'The Hitokiri Battousai? I can't believe it…'

"So you're the legendary Battousai…" I remembered one of my history classes and smiled "That's why you became a rurouni, ne?"

He nodded, his eyes turned back to their beautiful violet color.

"Hey, don't take this personally but I do prefer the rurouni!" I smiled at him with ease.

**Kenshin's POV**

For a moment I was afraid she would run away like everyone else… but she didn't. she just smiled and at me with ease, tranquilizing me.

"So where are we going now?" she asked me.

I was about to answer when we heard someone shouting "That girl has my kimono! The one that disappeared last night! Officer get her! She's the one by the red haired man!"

"Oro!!!"

"Kenshin… where did you get my kimono?" she asked accusingly.

"No time to explain… just run!"

"But…" there really wasn't time to explain so I swept her up and started running with my god-like speed until we finally ditch them. Even after doing so I continued running until I completely got out of the village and had gained a safe distance.

"Kenshin, it's ok. You can stop running, they won't catch us…" I stopped "Oh and you can put me down, thank you…" she said.

"Gomen…" I apologized as I put her down.

"Kenshin! You don't need to apologize for everything! It's not like you've done anything wrong… You have to relax… Are you always this tense?" she said facing me.

She was right but I couldn't change…

We restarted walking, without paying much attention to where we were going, just like a rurounis do…

"Hey, that hitokiri thing… that explains a lot of you… you're tenseness, the sudden changes of personality and especially you're fighting way. That was awesome! Not even my sensei can fight like that…"

I thanked her 'She didn't fight badly either… she wasn't free fighting, she had the technique…'

"Kaoru-dono, where did you learn to fight like that?" I was curious.

"Well…" she stopped walking "My sensei taught me everything I know… but only because I was always obsessed with martial arts… I took lessons of all sorts of them 'till I found the one I preferred, kenjustu."

"You practice kenjustu?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Why?"

"It's just that you're the first girl I remember meeting that fights like you do and learns kenjustu…"

"I can't believe it! You're not like them are you? Thinking that girls are weak and things like that! You baka!" out of nowhere she hit me with a stick.

"Orororororo…" my head hurt "Nothing like that Kaoru-dono! Sessha doesn't think such things of girls, de gozaru…"

"You better not!" she said waving dangerously the stick in the air. 'Kaoru-dono can be pretty dangerous, de gozaru…'

"Kaoru-dono please, calm yourself down!" I said "Sessha didn't mean to offend…"

**Kaoru's POV**

I stopped threatening Kenshin although it was being quite funny 'Me, threatening the battousai? This rocks!'. We resumed our walk and we reached this lovely wooden bridge with a stream of water flowing bellow it. We stopped to admire the lovely view.

"So Kenshin… what's with the sessha thing? And why do you call me Kaoru-dono? I would rather be called Kaoru…" I told him and it was completely true… it made me remember home… and all the restrictions and honorific things along. Since I had been sent back to the past, even though I had only got here yesterday, I was feeling much freer…

"Sessha does not feel worthy of treating you that way. Sessha doesn't even feels worthy of having your company…"

"Why Kenshin?" I pleaded for him to explain it to me 'I surely don't understand why all the formalities…'

"Well sessha is tainted with many deaths…"

"Yeah… probably being the hitokiri and all… but don't you think I should be the one telling if you're worthy or not? I mean I really don't care who you were in the past… it was not the battousai that helped me yesterday nor it was the battousai that comforted me this morning…"

"But sessha…"

"Gosh Kenshin if you don't want me around just say it! Now don't come and tell me you're not worthy cause last time I checked I still was the one who would say if one is worthy or not of my company!" I was afraid so afraid he would just leave me 'I don't understand why it was so hard to say this…' my eyes were shining with tears.

"G-gomen… Kaoru-dono please, don't cry… Don't interpret sessha wrong, onegai…" he let his hand rest on my shoulder "Will you give me the honor of your company Kaoru-dono?"

I looked at him and sobbed a little "Hai… gomen… for having said these things to you…"

'How can I be so stupid?! He has been so nice to me and he helped me, and now I'm getting mad at him for such a superficial thing!'

He muttered something but I wasn't paying much attention…

"Hey, Kenshin?" I asked

"Hai Kaoru-dono…"

"What does a rurouni do, anyway?"

"Personally, I just walk around Japan trying to help people…" he answered.

"Why's that?" I was almost sure of what he would answer, but still…

"It's a way of washing the sins I committed in the past away…" I smiled 'I was so right…'

"Just for helping me you managed to wash away at least half your sins!" I started laughing without any particular reason and just ran until I got distanced from him "Hey you slow poke! Are you coming or what?"

He reached my side in like… seconds. My jaw dropped but then… 'Hell why am I surprised? He is the battousai…'

"You know what?" I was jumping up and down, giggling like a little girl "Stick with me and by the time I solve my problem, you'll have no sins left!"

**Kenshin's POV**

"Oro…" this girl was unbelievable 'Maybe sessha did wrong in sticking around her… she seems to be of the problematic ones…' I smiled 'On the other hand she's so cute when she acts like that!'

"Where are we going Kenshin?" she asked me excitedly.

"Somewhere Kaoru-dono… there must be a village around…"

"Will we get there before sunset?"

"I don't think so but we never know…" she really was active 'Oh does she never shut up?' the battousai said annoyed 'Ma… ma… you shouldn't say that kind of things about Kaoru-dono, de gozaru!' the rurouni said calmingly 'Yeah whatever! I don't even understand what you see in this girl!' the battousai persists 'The same thing you do, de gozaru…' ok! One point for the rurouni!

**30 minutes later**

"Kenshin, are we there yet?"

"No Kaoru-dono…"

"Is it still far?"

"Yes, Kaoru-dono…" she was getting me kind of crazy with her effusive way of living.

**15 minutes later**

"Are we there yet?"

I shook my head 'Oh the pain!' the battousai growled.

"I'm tired. Can we rest for a while?" nothing could sound better…

"That would be nice…"

She pointed to a river passing near and walked there "Let's go by the river!"

"Whatever you wish to do Kaoru-dono…" I said still smiling, that was her way of being and that was precisely what made her special…

I was still walking calmly to where she was when…

**Me:** **okay people this is it for this little chappie =) I wonder what's going to happen… think of the possibilities! Hehe well let's see if I can get you a new chapter… but only if you want to! Otherwise! Just beg for it! =P**

**Review or else…!**


	7. What a DAY!

Disclaimer: Same thing ever...

Ok it's like this I know I didn't update it as fast as I used to but I have an explanation! Read it in the end of the chapter if you want! =D

**TimeWarper** let's see what I can get… it was not in my plans but hey what the hack I can manage something… but not in this chapter… maybe in later chapters and I don't think it will be major stuff but I'll do my best! Hope you like this new chapter and thank you for the review!

**All the others don't get jealous I loved all your reviews too and I'm very grateful for them ok?**

NOW OFF TO THE IMPORTANT MATTER!

**What a day!**

**Kenshin's POV**

"Splash!" she slipped and fell loudly on the water. My heart froze… in a matter of seconds I thought I was going to loose her. I ran to the river and dived. Quickly I grabbed her waist and pulled out of the cold water. Once we were on firm ground I finally breathed.

She was sprawled on the ground wide eyed, I got worried.

"Kaoru-dono daijobu?" I asked with my heart bumping.

For my surprise she started to laugh, laughing really hard. She was laughing so hard she curled up and held her stomach.

"Oro?" I said confused 'That's how she repays us for having saved her?' the battousai asked angrily 'Now don't jump into conclusions… Kaoru-dono must have an explanation…'

"Oh Kenshin… you didn't need to get all worried…" she said between laughs.

'How wasn't I going to get worried?' "Demo Kaoru-dono you fell into the river and sessha thought you were going to drow and sessha…" I stopped I had almost said something I shouldn't, gracefully as she was so lost in her laughs she didn't notice.

"Yes you're right… I fell into the river and I could have drowned… if I didn't know how to swim. I've learned how to swim very early Kenshin… and I used to swim very often. But it was really nice of you to jump off like that. You really worry about me don't you?" she spoke in a serious and highly sweet tone. Her words were dripping honey and she had just got near dangerous territory… feelings.

"Sessha… sessha… of course sessha worries…" I muttered I didn't know what else to tell her.

"Arigato…" she gave me a quick hug letting me perplex. "It's nice to have someone worrying for us, even if it's someone you just met…" she laid back down with a smile, closed her eyes for a minute or so then opened them and stared at the sky.

I was on my knees beside her, now looking at the river flowing peacefully and trying to calm myself down. 'She's alright… she's alright…' I thought 'Yeah… that's a pity, ne?' the battousai decided to once more say what he thought 'Kaoru-dono doesn't deserve to die… that's a weak thought!' the rurouni said enraged 'Who said I wanted her to die? If she only had drowned a little and was unconscious, you could at least do mouth to mouth breathing!' the battousai said happily 'Oro…' ok and that's another point to battousai…

I decided ask her something that had been on my mind for quite a long time "Why did you left home Kaoru-dono?"

She thought for a while "My father wanted me to marry… so he engaged me with some prick that got on my nerves right in the minute I first met him… he looked at me as if I were already his and I loathed him for that… demo… what hurts me the most is that otou-san was basically selling me… the man he engaged me with is rich, very rich…" her answer brought memories that I didn't wish for so I quickly changed the subject.

"Kaoru-dono, would you like to continue now or shall we wait a little longer?"

"I'm ok… I've rested long enough… how about you?"

"Sessha's ok…"

"Then let's go!" she got up "Oh, and you don't have to be so worried about me all the time… I'm not a little child you know?" she looked at me with a serious look on her face.

'Of course I know you're not a child…' I thought to myself 'But I also know that even if I wanted I couldn't stop worrying about you…' I got up and started to walk back to the path, hiding behind my bangs. 'She probably thinks I see her has a child… demo it's better for both of us this way…' she was upset with me and I knew it.

**Kaoru's POV**

'He thinks of me as a child when he doesn't seem much older than me… I wonder how old he is… I mean if I remember correctly the history class and he fought in the Bakumatsu period and now I'm somewhere in the Meiji era, he must be at least 30… oh my… it can't be!'

"Kenshin?" there was only one way to know "Do you mind if I ask you something?"

He looked at me smiling and… that smile could simply melt my heart… "Go ahead…"

"You don't seem much older than me and I just wanted to know how old you are after all…" I asked it timidly.

He thought for a while 'What the heck does he need to think? Doesn't he know how old he is?' "28…" he finally said.

"NANI?! 28? But you seem a lot younger! I mean if you're 28 and I'm 17 you're 11 years older than me!! Are you sure you are 28?" I just couldn't believe! Oh otou-san would kill me if he knew I was traveling alone with a 28 year old, hot, with a beautiful smile, that cares for me and I'm pretty much falling in love with, man. 'NANI?! What did I just thought? Ok rewind! "and I'm pretty much falling in love with"… is that it? Is that why I'm feeling so good around him? It can't be, besides it would only cause trouble! I'm from another time!' I shut the idea deep inside the darkest corner of my brain but still it managed to escape and I found myself always thinking about it.

If I had thought my life was complicated in the beginning of the way, now I looked at it as a complete chaos!

'Next thing I know I'm at home sighing for him with my history book open in the Bakumatsu period chapter!' I'm being so silly! 'Hey let's see how's my history… if I recall it correctly… he fought for the Ishin Patriots and then there's something about… uhm a last mission and then he disappeared… that's strange I don't recall reading anything detailed about a last mission…' I thought a little harder trying to remember something but couldn't 'Hey what am I thinking about this anyways! It's not like I care!'

**Normal POV**

They walked and walked for hours till it was lunch time. Kaoru was still fighting her thoughts and, also without acknowledging it, her feelings. Besides that she was really hungry so she told Kenshin.

"Kenshin… I'm hungry…" she said as she maid this huge sad puppy eyes that he couldn't just resist.

"Kaoru-dono we don't have anything to eat…" he said thoughtful "Unless you don't mind waiting a little while I catch some fish…" he looked at the river right beside them.

"Oh thank you Kenshin!" she threw herself into his harms for a quick hug, Kenshin once more was surprised…

**Kenshin's POV**

'…but hey I could get used to it!' was the first thought that occurred to me but then 'I should stop thinking this kind of things…' I walked to the river and got ready to catch some fish while Kaoru-dono went to get some firewood.

I stood there immobile until a fish approached not so carefully and in a matter of seconds I had catch it and tossed it to shore. The second one took longer to appear but it did eventually approached and I caught it and this time got out of the water. The two fish were big enough for a good meal.

When I got near Kaoru-dono she had made up a pyramid of wood but was having trouble at lighting it up also she had found some wild berries and caught them.

"Can sessha help with the fire Kaoru-dono?" I asked nicely.

"That would be great… I don't see how one can make fire without, well, fire." She looked at me and shrugged her shoulders playfully. I started to light up the fire while she got to sharp sticks and stocked the fishes into them.

"Here…" she gave me one and seated beside me putting hers into the fire.

A heavy silence surrounded us, only the river, some insects, birds and of course the wood burning was heard. 'I miss Kaoru-dono's voice. So gentile and sweet…' I realized that after a couple of minutes.

"Kaoru-dono, you seem thoughtful. Is something wrong?"

"There you go worrying for me like that…" she said stubbornly "I'm thinking about how to get home Kenshin…"

"Kaoru-dono I hate to insist but I feel like I must…" she looked at me "Kaoru-dono tell sessha where you live and maybe I can help you." She smiled sadly breaking my heart somehow.

"I would be glad to tell you Kenshin…" my heart lit up again "Demo… it's not possible. Even if you wanted to believe me you would end up thinking I'm crazy…" she finished and got her fish away from the fire to see how it was.

"Try me." I said defiantly.

"Well… today I won't tell you but as soon as I'm sure that you'll understand me maybe, and I said maybe, I'll tell you. I promise." She smiled at me. At least it was something… I just wished she would hurry up understanding that I would not take her for crazy no matter what. I knew she was special and different from everybody like from… another time or reality… I know it seems crazy but I don't even know how I got this idea…

We ate our fish "Thank you Kenshin for having caught the fish… it was really good. I'm gonna wash the berries. Wait a minute there." She said with a smile.

She got down by the river and I lost sight of her.

**Kaoru's POV**

'I really want to tell him… but I don't even have any proof! If only I still had my digital watch with me it would be some kind of proof but I don't know what happened to it!' I thought as I got down to the riverside.

I was washing the wild berries when I felt a hand covering my mouth, I wanted to scream but I couldn't. The person that was holding me pushed me up to my feet took of his sword and lightly pressed it against my neck. I saw my whole life flashing before my eyes but then the person whispered "Take me to where you're camped, give me all your valuable things and nothing will happen to you…" the voice made me understand that it was a man. I was about to say 'What valuable things?' because we didn't have any at all but then I thought 'Kenshin's up there, as soon as he sees him he'll take care of him.'

I walked with him right behind me still blocking my mouth with his disgusting hand 'I wonder if he even washes his hands… ugh…'

"Kaoru-dono?" Keshin asked when we got to the place, he still hadn't seen me. The man that was holding me prisoner ordered me to continue walking so I did.

Keshin was already on his feet holding the hilt of his sword "Let go of Kaoru-dono!" he said angered, somehow I didn't like to see him so angered even I was afraid of him…

"Give all your valuable things and I'll give you the girl back…"

Kenshin look in his face, he let go of the hilt and said with a confused voice "What valuable things? We don't have anything valuable…"

The man looked around and sweat dropped "Well it seems that you're saying the truth so I guess the only thing valuable here is the girl… I'll keep her…" Kenshin's eyes turned from gentile violet into deep amber.

'Ok now this is too much…' I thought annoyed.

"Let Kaoru-dono go." His voice was icy cold; I felt a shiver going down my spine.

I was afraid of the consequences but also I was tired of having the guy holding me so I gathered courage and bit his hand.

"Ouch! You little bitch!" he said while he pushed me and I felt his word going against my shoulder and cut it. There was a sharp pain and then I hit the ground and the pain got even bigger.

Kenshin ran to me "Kaoru-dono daijobu?" his eyes were still amber; his anger hadn't passed instead it was bigger.

"Daijobu… It's just a little cut…" I told him unsure. I knew how to act with the rurouni but I didn't with the battousai.

The man charged against Kenshin who amazingly quick took his sword out and stopped the strike easily.

"You hurt Kaoru-dono." He said in the same cold voice "I gave you a change to go away and you didn't; now you'll pay…" he was furious.

The man charged once and Kenshin stopped him easily, the man charged twice and nothing happened… I was afraid for Kenshin; afraid that he would change back into the battousai and it would all be my fault…

On the third charge Kenshin sent the man's sword flying through the air and the man fell on his back scared to death.

Kenshin sheathed the sword, for my relief and told the man "Go away and don't dare to come back again…"

Whimpering the man got up and ran away.

I had got up and was holding my hurt shoulder "Can I see your shoulder?" he came by my side and asked me gently. His eyes were once again friendly and he was once again the rurouni. I moved my hand away from the shoulder and he looked seriously at it.

For a second I thought I heard him mutter "That bastard…" so I looked at him.

"It's only a little cut Kenshin… it's ok! Really!" I tried to sound convincing but couldn't cause somehow I felt he could read me like an open book and wished that he couldn't.

"Gomen nasai Kaoru-dono…" he said with a hint of guilt.

"It's not your fault Kenshin!" I said horrified.

"If I'd acted sooner you wouldn't have got hurt…" he motioned me to seat down on a rock.

"Don't say things like tha…" he put his fingers on my lips shutting me up!

"Ma… ma Kaoru-dono we have to stop the bleeding…" he looked around for something to stop the bleeding.

"Here…" I gave him my hair ribbon letting my hair go loose from my usual ponytail.

I undressed part of my kimono blushing furiously while he used the ribbon on my shoulder to stop the bleeding.

"This has been quite a day…" he said when he finished.

"Yes… and you know what scares me most?" I asked him.

He shook his head "It isn't over yet…" I said with a frown. To my surprise he chuckled 'He never stops to surprise me… I wonder what's next…' "We better continue walking so tomorrow will be near enough the village…"

We walked side by side through the lonesome path. From time to time I would giggle or even laugh about something and I would see him smiling along. By noon all of a sudden I started singing…

"Tell everybody I'm on my way  
new friends an new places to see  
with blue skies ahead yes I'm on my way  
and there's nowhere else that I'd rather be  
  
Tell everybody I'm on my way  
And I'm loving every step I take  
with the sun heating down yes I'm on my way  
and I can't keep this smile off my face" I was a complete addict with Disney films and movies so I couldn't help but to sing… sometimes it made me feel a lot better! Kenshin looked at me smiling.

"You sing very well Kaoru-dono…" I thanked him happy about the fact he had just praised me.

**Kenshin's POV**

'She sings like the angels…' I thought in awe. 'Don't get all mushy!' the battousai joked 'You continue like that and I'm gona puck…' he continued 'Baka! Just kiss the girl already!' he finished. I glanced over Kaoru-dono's smiling silhouette… I shook the thoughts away but it seemed to be getting harder and harder every time.

Eventually it got dark and I figured Kaoru-dono would be tired although she would not admit it herself.

"Kaoru-dono, are you hungry or tired?" I asked her carefully.

"Not hungry… but I could use a little sleep…" she said.

"Then let's stop here…"

I found some rocks that could give us some cover during the night and sat against one; she sat beside me.

I heard her mumbling sweetly "And to sleep under the stars, who could ask for more?" this girl was amazing, even in uncomfortable situations, yes because sleeping against a rock in the middle of nowhere even in summer was tough, she kept her moral and mine up just by singing…

"Do you have a music for every occasion?" I asked her curiously.

She turned her sapphire blue shining eyes at me "Almost every…" she smiled sweetly.

After a while I felt her head fall against my shoulder, my eyes widened then I glanced over at her, she was sleeping, her chest was going up and down softly. I wasn't sleepy so I kept quiet and still in order not to wake her up. She started shivering so I put my arm around her shoulders and pushed her near me until I was totally embracing her, lending her some heat.

I don't know how long it passed until I fell into a troublesome sleep.

**Kaoru's POV**

The sun first rays of light hit my face. I felt so comfy I didn't want to get up… 'I never thought that sleeping outside could be so warm and cozy…'

I drop of water fell on my cheek 'Is it raining?'

My eyes opened, the skies were clearer than ever! Then I understood something my head was laying on Kenshin's dull but yet soft shoulder and I was in his tight embrace. I felt my cheek get hot. 'He's so sweet…' I tried to get up but his grip tightened around me. I thought that was quite funny and it felt real good to have him hugging me… I looked at his face; my heart froze. 'He's crying…' I felt so useless… 'I want to help him… I can't stand seeing him crying like this!' his face was a mixture of pain and sadness 'I love him…' yes I couldn't deny it any longer… my thumbs stopped the tears running down his cheeks.

"SQUEAK!!!" he immediately grabbed my wrists scaring me to death. "Don't you dare scaring me like that ever again you baka!" I said angrily and still shaking.

"Gomen nasai! It's just that my reflections…" he tried to explain.

"Your reflections my ass!" I grabbed a stick and broke it on his head.

"Oroooooo…?!" he blacked out for a instance 'Oh goodness did I hit him that hard? WHO CARES?! He deserved it!'

"Stop fooling around Kenshin! Let's go!" I got up and started walking when I felt him pulling my hair "WHAT?!" I hated when people did that!

BLONDE GOTH thank you for correcting me! Otherwise I wouldn't have noticed! I'm so sorry for the "pushing" error! It was pulling that I meant! You see in my country there's a very similar word to push that means the same as pull! So I'm very sorry! I must have mixed them up! Sorry once more!

**EXPLANATION!!!**

First: I had like a million writers block (basically I almost banged my head against the walls); Second: like Saturday I had like a major insomnia like I only got some sleep near 7h am! So I woke up with this huuugeee headache so as it was near lunch time I went to lunch and right after it my head hurt sooo much I tough I'd better lay down and rest a little 8yeah right it was 2hsomething when I went to rest and my mother woke me up a quarter to seven in the afternoon, but I was better from my headache) and then I got to writte!; Third: today I went to a public pool with my friends to have some fun! I'm on holidays for pity's sake! See good explanations ne? =)

**Other than that**: I finally made her admit her feelings to herself! Geez it was without time already! You know she can really be stubborn! I remember talking to her and she was like "#$'/$&!" and I was like "$&%$!" so you see she really is stubborn!

Well not gonna waist more of your time!

**REVIEWS PLEASEEE! I'm begging you!!! For PITY SAKE!!! REVIEW PEOPLE!!**

Arigato! Ja ne!


	8. An opportunity to start all over

**Disclaimer:** bla bla bla… you know it already!

**cincygurl22**the music is from Brother Bear ("On my way" Phil Collins) and mad about? Jeez… she so many times mad with him that I'm having trouble knowing which one you're referring to… if you would be more specific, puleaseee… then I'll try to clear that up for u like other times!

**An opportunity to start all over**

**Normal POV**

Kenshin lift his gaze from the ground and saw the village "We're here…"

Kaoru looked ahead and squealed in delight. She was tired of walking… she wanted to rest and wanted someplace to stay, something to do at least until she remembered the damn dream.

They entered the village; it was a little bigger than the other one but still it was a village compared to cities like Kyoto and other important cities. They walked slowly through the market; it was swarming with people shopping and others working.

Kaoru was looking at everything and everywhere smiling; the village was nice and she liked it a lot. Something caught her eye; a little girl was alone and crying in the middle of the crowd; the girl didn't seem to have much more than 4 or 5 years so she quickly got of Kenshin's side and went to where the little girl was. Kenshin didn't notice her moving away from him and lost Kaoru in the middle of the crowd without realizing it.

**Kaoru's POV**

"Hey there little girl…" I crouched near the girl; she had long black braid and her eyes where deep black, like olives.

The little girl looked at me sobbing "Why's such a beautiful girl like you crying?" I patted her on the head sweetly.

"I'm lost…" she said on a tiny timid voice.

"Oh… let's see if I can help you…" I smiled assuring her.

Her little cute face lit up "You will?"

"Yes…" I picked her up "So what's your name little girl?"

"Myuki…" she replied.

"Tell me Myuki-chan who was with you?"

"My brother and my grandfather…" she said.

"Uhm… ok can you spot them?" I asked her.

"No…" she said starting to cry again.

"It's ok! It's ok!" I soothed her silky braided hair "Let's see… can you describe them to me?"

"Uh-uh… My brother has blue eyes like yours and black hair and he's always smiling, my grandfather has white hair and a long beard and he has black eyes like mine…"

I looked around, there were too many people and those descriptions weren't enough to track them. "Can you tell me anything else? Like what are they wearing and their stature?"

"Yes… my brother is not very tall and he's wearing light blue gi and dark blue hakama. My grandfather he quite tall and he's wearing salmon gi and brown hakama."

I moved through the crowd trying to find them but they weren't anywhere. I started to get worried.

**Kenshin's POV**

"Kaoru-dono…" I looked to my side to find out she wasn't there anymore. I stopped 'Where can she be?' I looked around and didn't see her… I started to get worried 'What if she's hurt? What if something bad happened to her and I'm not there to help her?!' I was getting really anxious… 'Why don't you just walk off and leave the blabbing girl?' the battousai asked 'Because I can't let Kaoru-dono… she's my friend and I would never leave someone like that!' the rurouni said 'Yeah right friend… maybe that's what she thinks of you but it's not what you think of her… the only reason why you're so worried is because you're afraid you'll never see her again! You know very well she can take care of herself…' the battousai had hit the spot and the rurouni didn't even bother to reply…

**Kaoru's POV**

Half an hour later we still hadn't find them and Myuki-chan was near tears again. My arm was already starting to ache from carrying her and trying to point people out with the other arm. I put her down for a couple of minutes "Let's rest a little ok?"

She nodded with her head "Why is your kimono cut off on the shoulder and why do you have a ribbon on it? Are you hurt?" she asked sweetly tugging my kimono.

I crouched to be at her level "Yes… yesterday a bad man tried to rob me and my friend and I got hurt… but it's better now. Kenshin took care of the wound…" I finally remembered Kenshin 'Oh my… he must be worried sick! I didn't warn him…'

"Daijobu?"

"Oh it's nothing…" I answered.

"Grandfather!"****Myuki shouted, caught my hand and started running towards an old man.

I was dragged by her near her grandfather. When we got near him she let go of my hand and grabbed the man's neck "Oh I'm happy to see you!!!"

"Me too sweetheart… Myuki-chan don't you ever disappear like that! You scared us to death…"

"Gomen…" she said the she caught my hand again "Grandfather this beautiful lady helped me!"

I blushed hard "Well…"

"Arigato miss…"

"Kamyia Kaoru… you can call me Kaoru!"

"Then arigato Kaoru-san for having taken care of my granddaughter!"

"Oh… I only did what anyone else would do…" I commented.

"But no one else did it… you did." He smiled at me "Forgive me my rudeness for I have not presented myself yet. My name's Seta Daigatsu…"

"Nice to meet you Seta-san…" I looked around 'Now I'm the one worried for Kenshin not that he can't take care of himself just that I don't want to loose him… not like this…'

"Excuse me, but is there something I can do for you? You seem to be looking for something or someone too…"

"Yes in a matter of fact… oh there he is! KENSHIN!!!" I shouted making everyone turn at me.

"There you are Kaoru-dono! You scared me to death when you disappeared like that!" his face displayed a relief look 'Oh… I just plain love him when he's all sweet like this…'

"Come I want you to meet someone…" I took his hand and dragged near the Myuki-chan and Seta-san.

"Are you Kenshin?" Myuki asked him innocently.

"Hai… why are you asking little girl?" Kenshin crouched down and smiled playfully at Myuki.

"Cause Kao-chan told me that you took care of her wound and I want to thank you for that!" she said brilliantly.

"She did…?" Kenshin looked at me and got up. I just smiled at him.

"Sir I must say that your wife is a great girl…" Seta-san said extending his hand for a hand shake.

We blushed furiously "I'm not his wife Seta-san! We're only friends…"

"Oh then I apologized for my mistake! Anyway Kaoru-san has a great heart."

"Hai she does, de gozaru…" Kenshin said while they shook hands "But what did she do?" he said confused.

"Oh I saw Myuki there standing in the middle of the crowd crying and alone so I went to help her find her grandfather and her brother…"

"And you didn't say a thing…" he sighed…

I smiled embarrassed "Gomen…"

"Grandfather where's onii-chan?"

"He went home to see if you were there…" he said.

"Grandfather I want onii-chan to meet Kao-chan and Ken-san!" she said happily.

"Well you've got to ask them if they want to then…"

"Do you?" she asked with pleading puppy eyes.

"It's not like we have anywhere to go, right Kenshin?" I looked at him also with huge puppy eyes.

"It's ok with me…" he said smiling.

"Iei!!!" we both started jumping and doing some crazy victory dance.

Kenshin and Seta-san sweat dropped and smiled to each other and after so he showed us the way to his house. He lived already out of the village in an old but cleaned and very well arranged dojo.

"Your owner of a dojo?" I heard Kenshin asking.

"Hai… but it doesn't have many students nowadays…" he said sadly.

**Kenshin's POV**

Kaoru-dono seemed really happy near Myuki-chan… she really had a great heart and she wasn't afraid to show it to other people. Seta-san was an interesting man; he was also a man with a great heart. He had told me that his grandsons were living with him since they were very little because their parents had died in an accident.

As we passed the gate a young boy maybe about Kaoru-dono's age maybe a little younger appeared at the door and I was very impressed by is ki… it was very strong.

"Onii-chan!!!" Myuki-chan ran to the boy and hugged him then she came backwards and pushed me and Kaoru-dono forward. "This is Kaoru and this is Kenshin!"

The boy kept his smile on the face and greeted them "My name's Seta Soujiro, pleased to meet you!"

"Kao-chan helped me find grandpa!" she said with a serious look.

"She did? Well that was nice Kaoru-san, thank you. I'm very grateful for you having find my sister…"

"You're welcome!" Kaoru-dono replied neatly and smiling at him.

Soujiro-san's gaze fell upon Kaoru-dono he couldn't stop looking at her and she continued smiling at him lovingly and I was completely jealous! 'Oh my, oh my, oh my… what do we have here? You seem to be jealous of your little dream girl Kaoru…' the battousai mocked him 'First Kaoru-dono is not mine and probably will never be therefore she has all the right in the world to fall in love with whoever she please and second yes I am jealous but it's not like you aren't either!' that earned the rurouni one more victory 'Yes I am jealous so why don't e just kill all these people and take Kaoru out of here?' the battousai said angrily 'Calm down I say…'

"Grandpa can they have lunch with us?" Soujiro-san asked politely.

"Onegai! Grandpa! Can they? Can they?" Myuki-chan asked excitedly.

Seta-san looked at us "Oh if you don't mind, since you're already here and all…" we accepted the offer.

We entered the house "Do you want me to help grandpa?" Soujiro asked once again politely.

"No there's no need, thank you Soujiro-kun." Seta-san smiled.

"Nii-chan let's go show the house to Kao-chan and Ken-san!"

"Ok… let's go then." They started to walk with Kaoru-dono behind them "Aren't you coming Kenshin-san?" Soujiro asked me smiling.

"I think I'll skip… maybe later you can show me around…" he nodded and I saw him walk away side by side with Kaoru-dono.

"You really like that girl don't you?" Seta-san had easily read me like an open book, he wasn't an average man.

"Hai…" I muttered embarrassed "Demo I do not deserve her… she's as pure as an angel and I've got my hands dirty with blood of many…"

"So am I, Himura Battousai so am I…" the man looked at me sympathetically and I realized that he too had made part of the Bakumatsu era and he had recognized me promptly and easily. "Why don't you come with me to the kitchen…?"

"I'll be glad if I can help with something Seta-san…" I said and he nodded in agreement.

We entered the room; it was cleaned and very well organized just as I had predicted.

"Seems that you're going to have some competition Himura-san… I've never seen my grandson so interested in a girl like Kaoru-san. She's a very special girl and you should be careful not to loose her, I could see that she completes you plainly. And it isn't surprising if you two just fell for her… she is very beautiful." He begun preparing the things to make lunch and I helped him.

"Kaoru-dono is free to choose whoever she wants… and I'm mostly sure she would not choose someone like sessha…"

"I would pay more attention if I were you and also I would let her say if you're worthy of her love or not… that's for her to decide…"

I didn't understand what he wanted to say with paying more attention so I didn't answer and we continued working on lunch silently.

**Kaoru's POV**

Kenshin was kind of strange around Soujiro-san, I almost felt as if he was jealous… 'Ohhh I just wished Kenshin would even look at me that way… I know I don't stand a chance and I know sooner or later I'll return home and I'll have to leave him here… and I surely hope that it comes later...' Soujiro-san was very very handsome and had a beautiful smile just like Myu-chan had told me. He was 1 year younger than me there fore he was 16 and boy was he always looking and smiling at me… he hadn't stopped doing so ever since he had faced me outside.

"And this is where we practice…" he slid the shoji open.

"Wow!" I exclaimed as I walked near a place where several bokkens where stored. "I haven't trained in like… ages… May I?" I asked Soujiro sheepishly and making huge puppy eyes…

"Yes of course! I didn't know you practiced…" I interrupted him.

"I used to practice kenjutsu back at my house…" I picked up a bokken and positioned myself in a fighting stance, I closed my eyes and concentrated… all of a sudden I felt someone attacking me and my arms quickly stopped the strike without even having to open my eyes.

"You're really good…" Soujiro-san complimented me with a great smile on his face.

"Arigato… but you didn't use all your technique nor your force, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to stop you… am I not correct?"

"Yes… even though you fight much more better then some of my grandpa students…"

"She could be a teacher just like you nii-chan!" Myuki interrupted.

"I guess so… yes… but she isn't gonna stay here forever you know Myu-chan? She has to go back home…"

"I have to go back home… like you said… the problem is I'm lost and I don't know how to get back home… I kind of lost the part of my…" I decided to twist the truth a little "…mind that knows how to get home…"

"Well you could stay here until you recovered you mind back…" this time were Soujiro's pleading eyes that caught out of guard…

"Oh no… I couldn't… I mean I'm with Kenshin and I go wherever he goes…"

"It's ok… Kenshin could stay too!" Myuki-chan pleaded me on her knees tugging my kimono.

"I really couldn't… I mean… you've already offered us lunch and all… and I don't want to be a burden…" I was getting out of answers…

"You won't and besides it's our way of saying thank you for having help us…" Soujiro said in a final tone "Let's go ask grandpa!"

"Wait…" either they didn't hear me or they faked they didn't because they just ran off to ask their grandfather's permission. Deep inside me I wanted him to accept and I wanted to become a teacher and I wanted Kenshin to accept it too… I wanted to stay with him because he was the only one that made me feel sure that everything would be ok… 'Will Seta-san agree?' I got out of the dojo and into the house slowly…

**Me: Well here it is folks! A brand new chapter! You see you better be economic with this one and maybe another one that'll post tomorrow, cause little ol' me is going on holidays on this Sunday and I'll only come back the Sunday after… so you see I won't be able to update! I'm sorry for that but… hey! I do need some holidays… =) I'm sure you'll understand!**

**Remember Review! And you now what? If I have enough reviews to satisfy me I'll write at least 2 more chapters before going on holidays! =)**

Ja ne!


	9. So it starts

**Disclaimer:** ok… I don't own almost anything… there…

Well you seem to have got a little confused with the squeak thing... it's not that complicated I'll explain: Kenshin was sleeping and was crying right? So she shed his tears and wasn't expecting him to wake up and catching her doing it. Well not only did he woke up but also he grabbed her wrists. As she wasn't expecting she was scared to death and said "SQUEAK!" l0ol here you go… hope you understand it now! Both of you **Himura-chan **and **cincygurl22**!

**TimeWarper**, well aren't you a curious fellow?! Well you see every single question you ask me there I already asked myself and already came up with an answer for them! But if I go on telling there will be no point in continuing the story cause I would be telling it =) so you'll just be a good fellow and calm down all that curiosity and wait for the answers to come! They will come trust me! Now I didn't mind at all putting Sou-kun in the story… somehow it mad some kind of balance, you see… and don't worry about the long review I didn't mind at all!

Well here's the new chapter… I'll only be able to write this one cause tomorrow morning I'll go on holidays! I'm sorry if I miscalculated time… I was sure to manage to write at least two chapters but I couldn't… so I hope you like this one!

**So it starts...**

**Kaoru's POV**

I entered the house divided... I followed the voices coming from some room and entered it. The food was laid on the table; Kenshin was sitting on one corner of the room and followed my entrance with attention, I looked at him and smiled he reattributed the smile and got up.

Soujiro-san looked at his grandfather smiling as always and Myuki-chan was jumping up dan down saying "Please, please, please!"

"First let us eat… than if you don't mind Kaoru-san I would like to see you fight…"

I got a nervous feeling and searched for Kenshin's soothing eyes. He looked at me and than came near me and whispered "If you really want us to stay Kaoru-dono, I won't mind… Just prove yourself worthy to Seta-san…" his words calmed my heart and in an act of craziness or maybe even courage I manage take his hand and squeeze it ever so lightly to make myself more than him sure that everything would be ok… Soujiro looked at us and for a second his smile was erased of his handsome face.

We all seated down and started to eat after thanking for the meal. Seta-san really cooked well; the food was delicious…

"Do you always eat such delicious food Myu-chan?" I asked her.

"Hai! Grandpa is a creat cooker!!!"

I smiled sheepishly and looked around the table; I had a sudden urge to laugh but instead I just sweat dropped when I noticed that my oroing rurouni and smiling cute boy were almost making a staring and smiling contest! 'Why are they doing this? Goodness I'll never understand boys, men or what so ever! I mean then they say that girls are the complicated ones!'

Soon, maybe sooner that I would have liked to… we finished eating. I had to gain more time… I mean I wasn't prepared to go and show Seta-san that I can fight well enough to be a teacher in the dojo!

"Uh… I'll help with the dishes!" I started taking some plates and other things to the sink or at least it looked like a sink!

Kenshin and Sou.kun continued their staring contest but this time at me! They thought that probably as I had my back turned to them I would notice but 'DAMN! I'm already nervous enough!!! These guys need some medical help!'

We finished washing the dishes and I hadn't any more excuse…

"Well do you want to show me what you're capable now?" Seta-san asked me in a calm voice.

I trembled a bit "Y-yes… sure, let's go."

We entered the dojo and I was about to pick a bokken when "WAIT! How am I supposed to fight in a kimono? I mean block a strike in a kimono but dodge one in a quick movement is almost impossible!!"

"I guess you're right… Sou-kun go get Kaoru-san some of your training clothes… they might suit her…"

"Right away." Sou-kun picked my hand and took me to get a gi and some hakama. He waited outside the room while I dressed myself.

"I see that you fit in them…" he noticed my nervous look "It's ok… probably grandpa won't even use all his strength!"

"You mean I'm gonna have to fight Seta-san?" if I was afraid a couple of minutes ago, now I was horrified.

"Of course, to be assistant at his dojo you have to fight the master…" he looked at me smiling "It's gonna be ok… grandpa liked you… he won't make this too hard, you'll see."

We were on our fighting positions; the air seemed to have frozen. Seta-san was evaluating my every breath and so was I evaluating his 'Kami-sama… he's very strong…' I closed my eyes for a couple of seconds then I heard his voice "You start Kaoru-san…" his voice was rather cold and sent shivers down my spine.

I attacked 'It will be ok…' 'Trust me…' 'You'll see.' All the words of encouragement flooded my mind. He dodged my attack easily and attacked right after I blocked but then I hadn't time to realize that on the process of the blocking he had already prepared another recharge attack and he hit me right on my shoulder.

"First match, grandpa wins!" Sou-kun said.

I went to my place once again; I still had two opportunities. 'I can't think so much… I waist too much time thinking! That's what sensei always says!' I concentrated myself.

"Start!" this time he attacked first. I dodged rather then block because he had a new attack predicted after a block. My turn to attack… he blocked, attacked and my turn to block and without giving time for him to move I attacked. ERROR! He predicted that too easily and was quicker at dodging and attacking hitting me on the leg. I fell on the ground.

A tear rolled down my face; Kenshin, Sou-kun and Myu-kun looked at me with hope and I just fell worthless.

"Kaoru-dono, if you give up now… you'll loose. Don't mind… don't mind the people and don't mind the future; don't mind anything. It's just you and your opponent." He helped me getting up.

"Let's go…" I said filled with confidence. 'This time… I'll win.'

"Start!"

I attacked not letting him dodge and making him block, I recharged I had to block again. He attacked I jumped to the left making him turn that way and run to the right quickly. He sensed that and twisted himself. Our bokkens hit each other shoulders at the exact same time… it was a draw.

"It's a draw!" Sou-kun said happily.

I smiled hoping that was enough to please Seta-san "Your speed in this match and the capacity you shown modifying all the system of the fight was remarkable. I could use a teacher like you." He smiled at me and patted my shoulder.

I jumped and threw my arms around Seta-san neck "ARIGATO!!!" I was so happy! At least me and Kenshin could stay in a steady place until I manage to remember the dream. I let go of Seta-san and bowed to him…

"Besides a girl as beautiful as you are Kaoru-san will surely bring some students to the house."

"Seta-san?" I said blushing. "I'll only stay here if Kenshin stays with me…"

"I know dear… it's always an honor to receive Himura-san at my place. Right Himura-san?"

"If you say so… Seta-san…" he smiled at him.

**Kenshin's POV**

Seta-san left the room 'Indeed it's always a pleasure to stay at a patriot's house…'

All of a sudden Kaoru-dono jumped into my arms, knocking me down "I made it! I made it! Kenshin, we have a place to stay! I don't feel useless anymore!!!" she kissed my cheek getting all flushed and making me redder than a tomato! "Oh I'm soooo sorry Kenshin! I shouldn't have done that! It's just that I'm so excited!"

We got up from our awkward position blushing like mad 'Oro! Please no more thoughts! ONEGAI!' the rurouni was shouting 'Yeah right! Jeez if only the kids weren't here we could have celebrated properly!' the battousai replied 'Iie… stop thinking those things with Kaoru-dono!'

Myu-chan tugged Kaoru-dono's hakama. She picked the little girl up and the little girl kissed her cheek and hugged her.

"Iei! You're going to stay with us!"

"It seems so you little squirt…" she put down Myu-chan on the ground.

She stood quietly in front of Soujiro-kun who was like always smiling at her. He got near her 'Get AWAY from her!' the rurouni and the battousai shouted; he hugged her and whispered something on her ear 'I'm so going to kill that kid!' the battousai continue 'You're not killing anyone, de gozaru…' the rurouni regained his sense.

We all got out of the dojo laughing and talking about routine things.

"Sessha feel that sessha must do something in return since sessha also going to stay here. I can't accept that Kaoru-dono does everything."

"Well… and what will you do?"

"Help with shores or something like that…"

"Well if it makes you happy. I'll be happy with it too…" she smiled graciously. In my head the image of us lying on the ground kept twinkling and I still felt my cheek burning from the kiss her soft lips had given me 'Staying with her is going to drive me mad but being apart from her it's going to drive me even madder!'

Seta-san appeared at the house back door "Sou-kun it's time for you to go train…"

"Yes grandpa." He answered promptly "If you'll excuse me…" he said turning to us.

We all nodded and he went away.

"Myu-chan you have to go clean your room!"

"Oh… do I have to?" the stubbornness of the little girl remembered me so much Kaoru-dono that I hadn't any doubt why they got along so well.

"I'll go with you and help!" I said picking her up and giving her a piggy back ride to her room.

"Seta-san, is there anything I can help with?" I heard Kaoru-dono gentile voice ask before I entered the room.

**Kaoru's POV**

"I'll show you your room and Himura-san's… then I have to go to other dojo and give some classes. Today this dojo doesn't have classes so you'll start teaching tomorrow, ok?" he said sweetly.

"Fine with me…" I followed him. He showed me two rooms.

"I'll let you two decide which one each of you wants. Feel free to do whatever you please with the one you choose and the same goes to Himura-san. These are your rooms from now on…"

"Arigato…" I said happily.

"It's ok. Oh and the futons are in the cupboard… I'm off."

"Ja ne!!!" I waved goodbye at him.

After he was gone I entered the first room I pleased and decided to keep that one to me. There was a shoji that exited directly to the garden. I opened it a little and saw Sou-kun training; he was amazing! He was so much stronger than his grandfather! I closed the shoji once again; I didn't want to disturb him. I got my futon and then it hit me 'My bundle pack! Kenshin had it I wonder where he put it… I mean it's not like it has anything that worthy but anyways… Better go look for that oroing rurouni!'

I soon heard a giggle and entered softly Myuki-chan room. 'Awww it's such a cute room!!!' it had the walls painted in light pink and there were toys everywhere!

Myu-chan still hadn't noticed my presence so I walked quietly to where she was standing; when I got near enough I covered her eyes with my hands.

"Who's there?" she asked in a childish voice giggling.

"Guess…" I said softly.

She got rid of my hands and yelled "Kao-chan!!!"

On less than a minute she showed me all her things and her already tidy room got all messed up once again…

"Ororororoooo!" I heard Kenshin say and started giggling.

"You silly girl, you just messed up your room again! Here let me help…" I helped her put everything in its place and then called Kenshin "Oi Kenshin! Where did you left my bundle pack?!"

"On the entrance Kaoru-dono…"

"Oh then come with me to get it and I'll show you your room. Hope you don't mind but I've already picked mine…"

We got out of the room together and I heard Myu-chan giggling in the background. I picked my bundle pack at the entrance and then went to show Kenshin his new room.

"Here…" I slid the shoji "The futon is in the cupboard…"

He smiled simply at me "Ariagto…"

"Mine's here so we won't be very far from each other…" I turned red when I realized what I had just said. Kenshin stood there with this totally awkward look on his face 'Jeez I wonder what he is doing right now…' I turned my back to him and entered the room closing the shoji behind.

"Well I think one thing I'll need is to buy at least one kimono… I can't wear Sou-kun's clothes forever… and I'm not ask for Seta-san to loan me money so I'll just have to get a part-time job and earn some money…" I thought out loud. 'I'll do that tomorrow…'

I opened my bundle pack and took of the few clothes in it. 'Nothing… I can't wear this…' all of a sudden something fell from the little pocket in my shorts…

**Me: Well this is it! I won't be posting anything for a week… so be economic with this chapter! Divide it in seven if you must! =P I know it's not big, but it was the best I could do! Once again I'm sorry for miscalculating the time and not being able to write at least two chapies! I think these are going to be boring holidays… so just wish me luck! Well hope you guys have a good week without putting up with me!**

**Remember when I come back I want lots and lots of reviews! GOT THAT?!**

Ja ne!


	10. Luck turns and a festival

**Disclaimer: **Idon'townRurouniKenshin! There now off we go.

I want to thank all of you for the reviews and hey say I'm back and all and also say that I'm compensating you for the week without new chapters with a extra big chapter. So I hope you like it and so on and so on.

**Luck turns and a festival**

**Kaoru's POV**

'My watch!' I gasped for air 'With this I can tell Kenshin everything and prove I'm not crazy!' a modern digital watch laid on my hand. I was about to get up and in an act of craziness run to tell Kenshin everything that precise moment. Yes tell Kenshin… I knew I could trust him…

I reached for the shoji and… my heart sank low, my stomach twisted and I looked in shock to my hand. The watch wasn't working! If it was not working it wouldn't be anything else than a piece of a worthless nothing… 'Probably it stopped when I came back in time… demo… there must be a way of fixing it… it's my only chance…'

I sat on the ground thinking for what it seemed like hours. I tried everything since restarting the watch to hitting with it on the walls rage fully.

"Kuso!" I said out loud almost not realizing it. My head hurt like mad 'I soooo need a bath! It always helps me with these darn headaches!'

I had to hide the watch, although it wasn't working, still it was a strange object. I took my shorts and put the watch on the pocket again then I rolled them in the t-shirt and the tank top. I opened the closet and hid it there, in the far end of it where it was really dark, under a shelf. I got up forgetting that the shelf was right above me…

"PAM!" a throbbing pain made me let out a scream and a couple of curses…

"DAMN!!!!! That freakin' HURTS!!!!" I continued cursing my head out and crying in anger and pain.

**Kenshin's POV**

I heard a fuss coming from Kaoru-dono's room and after a few seconds I just heard cursing, yelling and more cursing.

I rushed to her room preoccupied. As soon as I opened the shoji a flying object hit me so hard I fell backwards.

"ORO!"

"Oh Kenshin! I'm soooooooo sorry! Did I hurt you?" when I opened my eyes I almost lost control. Kaoru-dono was leaning over me with her blue sapphire orbs filled with sweet concern for me. I had to fight the urge of pulling her down and kissing her right there!

"Daijobu…" I told her as I sat up. "Kaoru-dono is something wrong? I heard you scream and…" I was cut off.

"HELL YEAH! Everything is wrong and I have a major headache and I STINK! I WANT TO TAKE A BATH NOW!" she flicked from the sweet concern Kaoru to a rage filled one. 'Sessha's so afraid…' I said to myself.

She resumed to throwing things and shouting making Sou-kun and Myu-chan come and see what was happening.

"What's wrong with her?" they asked me dodging the flying dangerous, hard and painful objects.

"MY HEAD HURTS LIKE HELL!!!" she yelled once again.

"Kaoru-dono… yelling will only make it worth…" I tried to calm her down.

"I KNOW!" she growled… "And does yelling also makes you stink even more?" she asked shooting daggers "I WANT TO TAKE A DAMN BATH! Where the hell is the bathroom in this house?!?!?!?!?"

Sou-kun approached Kaoru-dono 'Grrr….' and patted her shoulder ever so lightly.

"Kaoru calm down, onegai!" he smiled at her "Myu-chan take Kaoru to the bath house… Kenshin you wouldn't mind going with them and prepare Kaoru the bath, would you?" I nodded and followed after the now more a less calm Kaoru and the little girl. "Meanwhile I'm gonna fetch you some clothes… I think grandpa still haves some of mother clothes… or maybe even grandma's…" he also left the room and headed other way.

**Normal POV**

Kenshin was now preparing the bath for Kaoru while she and Myuki were chatting inside the bath house.

"Are you better of your headache, auntie Kaoru?" she asked her sweetly.

"Auntie? What do you want to ask me to do you silly little girl?" she replied laughing.

"Nothing…" she answered angelically "Just wanted to know if you're better." Myuki blinked her eyes innocently.

"Yes… I'm better… now, tell what you want." Kaoru chuckle as the girl threw herself into her arms.

"Can I take a bath with you? Pweaseeeeee?" she asked with puppy eyes.

"Take a bath with me? Now… Why would you want to take a bath with me?" Kaoru asked her. Not that she minded… she was just curious about that request.

"Cause I still can't take a bath alone or that's what grandpa and nii-chan say! Once I tried to take a bath alone and I ended up forgetting about time and I fell asleep and then I caught a cold because they only found when they came back from the market… so they always give me a bath but they are always playing tricks on me! They fake there are going to drown me and other things!" she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"What a meanies! Why do they do that to you?"

"They say it's because I'm only 5 years old… They say I'm too little and that every little girl and boy with five years as to pass through that kind of games…"

"Oh, they do now, do they?" Kaoru said more to herself than to Myuki.

"Kao-chan?"

"What happened to the auntie part?" she giggled.

"Auntie Kaoru?" she corrected herself.

"Yes?"

"Did your brother and grandfather ever played jokes on you while they were giving you a bath?"

"I…" Kaoru stumbled a little "I don't have a brother and my grandfather die when I was very young. I hardly remember him…"

Myuki wasn't taken by those words and with the same cheerfully she asked "Then who used to give you a bath when you were 5?"

-- Flashback--

_"Kaoru?!"_

_"Yes okaa-san?" a 4 year old sitting on her bed replied to her mother._

_Her mother appeared at the bathroom door smiling and said "It's time for your bath young lady!"_

_"Do I have to?"_

_"Yes, you do…"_

_"I bet samurais didn't have to take a bath all the time!" she said in a boyish way._

_"Yes they did. Do you think they went to their battles stinking? Their enemies would run away before the first strike because of the smell!" she said smiling "Now you wouldn't want your enemy running away before you could show him how strong you are, would you?"_

_"No… I'll take the bath… do you really think a samurai usually takes a bath?"_

_"Hai… I'm sure that the ones that do so are the strongest!" she leaned down a picked the little girl up taking her into the bathroom…_

_--End of Flashback--_

"Auntie Kaoru? Daijobu?" Myuki asked seeing Kaoru so quiet all of a sudden.

"Uh…?" she looked at Myuki and then smiled "Daijobu… I just spaced out for a moment…"

"What were you thinking about?" Myuki asked curious.

Kaoru's look turned from relaxed to a pain filled one. Remembering her mother in those kinds of flashbacks was always painful to her and somehow that flashback seemed so near the dream she was trying to remember… something connected the dream with the flashback but she couldn't understand what and that was making the headache come back. She was about to give a brief simple answer to Myuki when…

"Kaoru-dono the bath is ready!"

**Kaoru's POV**

I walked towards the door and peeked calling Kenshin "Do you want me to keep the bath running after I finish? I mean maybe you also want to take a bath, no?"

"I would appreciate that Kaoru-dono, arigato." he said smiling.

I closed the door again "Well… what are you waiting for Myu-chan? Get in that bathtub now!" I said playfully.

I started getting undressed and noticed my little "niece" was having trouble undoing her kimono so I quickly got rid of my clothes and helped her with her clothes.

We entered the warm relaxing water…

**Kenshin's POV**

'Why don't we just go take a peek?' the battousai asked hungrily 'No…' I was trying to control the urge of seeing Kaoru-dono naked but was falling drastically. Standing in the hallway and looking at the space blankly, discussing with myself whether I should go peek Kaoru-dono, which I know I should not, or shouldn't, wasn't what I called controlling myself. 'Come on… just a little peek! It wouldn't hurt you know? Maybe we could get lucky and all…', 'Stop saying those things and thinking those things about her! We don't deserve her…', 'You're no fun…' he finally gave up 'I'll have plenty of time to tempt you! And besides I'm not the only one that thinks that… we both do… you just don't want to admit it…', 'Humph…' the arguing was over.

I resumed my walk and found Sou-kun.

"Kenshin, you wouldn't mind delivering these clothes to Kaoru would you?" he asked smiling at me as always 'Boy does he get on my nerves!' the battousai growled "It's just that I don't feel comfortable entering Kaoru's room without her inside of it…" he continued 'Of course you don't! She isn't there for you to get all over!!!' the battousai continued "You know… I just met her and all… on the contrary, you two seem pretty close. So I think you don't mind delivering them, do you?"

"Iie. It's ok, I'll let them there." I said getting flushed about his anterior comment. I picked up the clothes and went to her room.

I entered it… even if she hadn't been there for long, her presence was all over it and it made me feel so good…

I shook my head miserably and started to put the clothes in the closet. At some point when I was putting the last kimono on the closet I noticed something in the far darkest end of the closet, under a shelf. 'I wonder what does Kaoru-dono keep there… She seems to want to hide it…' I resisted the temptation to get whatever it was there and after closing the closet I got out of the room.

**Normal POV**

Meanwhile Kaoru and Myuki were already finishing their baths…

**Kaoru's POV**

"Here." I reached for the two towels and gave one to Myu-chan. She took it and mimicked me; first cleaning herself just like I was doing and then rolling herself in the towel. I chuckled at her actions and patted her head "That's a good girl… at least you now know how to clean yourself. For a moment I wished I was at home and had my hydrating creams with me 'I could use a good cream…' I thought looking at my poor dehydrated skin. I picked Myu-chan up and got off the bathroom.

"Kenshin!" I called "You can go take a bath if you want!"

Kenshin's head poked off the kitchen where I was passing by that minute; he was preparing diner. "Arigato Kaoru-dono." he said "Sou-kun you wouldn't mind continuing the diner for me would you?"

"Iie… go ahead."

Kenshin nodded and got out of the kitchen. For a fraction of a second he looked at me and turned as red as if he had eaten hot chili. At first I didn't realize why he reacted that way but then the obvious struck me 'Oh My Gosh! I'm only wearing a towel! How couldn't he be so embarrassed?!'

I quickly directed to Myu-chan's room to get her some clothes.

"Well which on do you want to wear?" I asked opening the closet.

She pulled out the cutest little baby pink kimono with little cute pure white clouds.

"Kawai!!" I said laughing.

I then took her to my room to help her get dressed and get myself dressed.

As soon as she got dressed, she ran to my closet and opened it "Here are the clothes that my brother brought you!"

I looked at them; there were a bunch of beautiful kimonos that I looked at in awe, some yukatas and finally some training clothes. "Oh… I can't accept all these clothes…" I muttered more to myself then to Myu-chan.

"Yes you can!" she said in a final tone.

I smiled at her "After getting dressed I'll go and thank your brother…" I looked at the kimonos "Now which one should I wear?"

She roomed through the kimonos and then took one off the closet. "This one… onegai… wear this one…" she… was pleading for me to wear it…

"Of course I'll wear it… it's a beautiful kimono." I took it from her hands and started dressing it; a smiled crept in her lips.

"Yes, it is… it was my mother's…" she said proudly.

I felt shocked somehow by what she had told me but it passed as soon as I saw the huge smile in her pretty face. The kimono was really beautiful; it was blood red with pure white-rosy sakura petals flowing all over it, starting on my shoulder with a huge mass of sakuras and then finishing with just petals flowing. By the softness of the fabric I could tell it was pure silk and also that it had been very expensive… She helped me with the also white-rosy sash and finally I was dressed. She looked at me searching for something.

"Something is still missing…" she muttered "Wait right there! Don't move I'll be right back!" she took off running.

In the few minutes I waited I didn't dare to move a muscle and still I didn't understand why… also during that period of time I heard Seta-san entering the dojo.

"I'm back!" she entered my room closing the shoji once more behind her. With her she had brought a ribbon that matched perfectly with the kimono and another one that matched with hers.

She asked permission to do my hair and I nodded. She quickly braided my hair and then twisted it in a strange way making it form a curve that looked like a "u"; she finally put the ribbon catching the strange but all the same cute hairdo.

"Do you want me to braid yours like mine?" I asked her.

"Nop… just a simple braid please!" she said smiling.

I did has she said. She turned to look at me and then smiled contently "Now you look like her…"

"Like who?" I asked feeling strange.

"Like okaa-san… the way you are dressed right now is the only image I have of okaa-san…" she hugged me "You look very much like her…" she buried her face in my chest "I'm glad you're here with us…" I was in a complete shock and didn't know what to say except…

"Arigato…" an idea occurred to me… 'I have to repay for her kindness…' I knew exactly how… I took off my medallion; the one my mother had given me before she died. "Take this… it was my mother's and then she gave it to me… I want you to keep it always with you. It brought me loads of courage and luck and I'm sure it will bring you too…" I put it around her thin neck.

"I'll never take it off…" she said with an even brighter smile "It's so beautiful!"

I couldn't help but to giggle at her reaction… "Now can you tell why are we so dressed up?"

"Yeah… today's the spring festival! Grandpa always takes us to the festivals! This year you and Uncle Kenny are coming with us too! I'm so happy!" she said jumping up and down with excitement.

**Kenshin's POV**

I got out of the bath and got dressed; I changed to a dark blue gi and white hakama someone had put on top of my futon. I felt relaxed but the image of Kaoru-dono only with a towel still lingered in my head and made me want to bang my head against the walls.

'Must… control… myself…' he growled silently.

I got out of my room and almost had a heart attack by just looking at her shadow on the shoji; she was playing with Myu-chan…

I got into the kitchen "Good evening Himura-san…" Seta-san was helping his grandson putting the dinner on the table "Could you call the girls for dinner?"

I nodded and proceeded to call them "Kaoru-dono! Myu-chan! Dinner's on the table!"

Seta-san and Sou-kun sat at the table and motioned me to do the same. They too had taken a quick bath and changed clothes…

"So are we going to the festival today?" Sou-kun asked his grandfather.

"Yes, of course we are." Seta-san answered with a smile "Kenshin I was wondering if you and Kaoru-san wouldn't mind joining us."

"It would be a pleasure… but you have to ask Kaoru-dono if she wants too." I replied.

"Ask me what?" her voice came flying to me from my back. I turned to answer her but was temporarily incapacitated of the ability of speech. By the looks of it not only I… Seta-san and Sou-kun also looked at her in awe. 'She's just… I can't even find words… she's more than beautiful! She's above beautiful! Kami-sama please help me… she's just too beautiful for me to control myself!' a glint of gold passed my eyes and I knew it just by looking at the strange look she gave me.

"Uh… is everyone ok? I mean do I look that bad?" she asked so innocently even Myu-chan started giggling at her question. 'Kami… she's so innocent!'

"No my dear…" Seta-san broke the awkward silence "You look beautiful."

"More than beautiful…" Sou-kun replied without even being able of stop looking at her. That made me jealous… as always… but still stupidly I couldn't say anything. And I saw in her eyes something that made me get even more stupid, she was disappointed with me… she was sad that I hadn't said anything and I felt as if I could kill myself that precise moment.

I saw her sitting by Soujiro and thought 'Why would she need my compliment? She had his… I must have mistaken that look…' even if my thoughts were those deep in my heart I just wanted to tell her that I had never saw anyone or anything more beautiful than she was that moment.

"Ask me what?" she repeated the question after sitting down.

"If you would like to go with the Seta family to the festival…" I answered her.

She looked at me smiling "Of course I want!" she looked happy in a moment but in the next moment she looked at me concerned "You're coming to right Kenshin?"

"Y-yes, I am de gozaru…"

"I'm glad… I would only go if you go…" she said making me almost drop the shop sticks 'SHE'S DRIVING CRAZY!' especially because the next minute she was happily eating and chatting with the drooling Soujiro.

During dinner I could barely stop looking at her. But also I did without her noticing…

"The dinner is excellent!" I heard her say and somehow I felt proud.

"You can thank Kenshin. He did most of it I just helped a little." Soujiro answered her smiling. 'I want to hate this kid but I simply can't!' I thought confused 'Oro…?'

--On the way to the village--

After the dinner was finished and everything was clean we left for the festival.

The night was perfect, warm and calm. Stars painted the pitch black sky and the full moon illuminated everything with silver light. Everything… no I wasn't seeing everything… I was just seeing her. The silver light hitting her pale white skin and her shiny hair.

"Kenshin? Daijobu?" she asked me when she realized I was staring at her intently. I blushed like hell for letting myself being caught in doing so.

"Uh… daijobu Kaoru-dono… it's just that…" I wanted to tell her how beautiful she was and I couldn't take it much longer. I took profit of the rest of the group having distance themselves from us.

"Just what?" she asked smiling so sweetly I felt I was melting.

"Just that I haven't told you yet that…" her eyes were now shining, I gulped "That… I mean… how lovely you are tonight…" I completed the sentence in a whisper.

Her smile was even brighter "Arigato." She said and then blushed cutely. "Hey we better hurry… they've already distance themselves a lot!" she took my hand and my eyes opened in shock. Her warm, thin and fragile hand made me feel like I was in heaven. She gripped it a little harder and so did I, taking care not to hurt her. We run to catch up with them.

**Kaoru's POV**

When he complemented me I felt so good, I didn't even know what I was doing anymore. In the next minute I had grabbed his hand and started running towards our group. He had a calloused hand but none the less was and caring. His grip on my hand was gentile as if not to hurt me. I felt myself blushed and didn't even dare looking at him.

When we reached them I was probably supposed to let go of his hand, but I couldn't. Neither one of was made any motion to let go of the other one hand. My heart was beating really fast; I wanted to hold his hand more often demo… I knew it wasn't possible. Deep inside my head was a voice saying he still looked at me probably like a little girl, a sister perhaps and that was why he continued holding my hand. Just like Sou-kun was holding Myu-chan's hand. 'Just tonight…' I thought lightly 'Just tonight I'll fake I don't know that… I'll fake there's something more in this hold of hands then there actually is…'

We reached the village right when the firework started.

"Boom!" an orange clarion flashed over us followed by others.

"Look!" Myu-chan squeaked in delight "Kirei!!!"

I smiled; it was a simple firework compared to some that I had seen but none the less it was beautiful.

Blue, green and some flower shaped one's composed the simple firework. People were standing on the streets or on the houses balconies staring at the sky happily; children were squealing in delight. Everything reflected the image of calmness and peacefulness; a part of me wanted to be part of it and another part didn't… the other part just wanted to go back home.

The firework was near the end and as flashes got stronger I felt a light tightening in my hand. I looked at Kenshin only to find out he wasn't looking at the fireworks. He instead was looking at me. I blushed like mad 'I'm getting used to this blushing thing! But damn it! Does he know what he's doing to me?!'

A bunch of kids passed by us running carelessly almost knocking me down if it wasn't for Kenshin pulling me close to him. That moment I thought 'Oh my gosh! I'm gonna dye!' his hand had grabbed my waist preventing me from the fall, I was clutched against his well built chest and my other hand was between my breast and his chest. We both blushed "I uh…." We muttered some words not even registering them. We were so close… too close. I looked deep in his eyes and noticed they were golden but still they were beautiful. We couldn't move and didn't want to either. His intense breathing tickled my lips and I felt his heart beating fast… wait or was it mine? 'Oh I wouldn't mind dying now… at least I would dye happy…' the feeling of happiness in my heart was overwhelming. I loved him so much. There was no denial, not any more cause there were no doubts. I didn't matter the fact I had met him just a few days before. The truth is he had taken my heart away from the moment I had laid eyes on him, even though my reaction didn't go according to that.

Everything was perfect…

"Auntie Kaoru, Uncle Kenny you said you weren't a couple…" Myu-chan's voice broke the moment. We let go of each other embarrassed muttering apologies.

"And we aren't… Uncle Kenny just prevented me from falling." I tried to explain it to her and somehow to myself also.

Sou-kun was looking at us strangely although he still had his smile on. He picked his sister up and scolded her playfully "You shouldn't say those things Myu-chan!"

"Let's go for a walk shall we?" Seta-san changed the course of the conversation.

"Yes… that would be great." We all agreed.

**Normal POV**

The group walked through the streets stopping occasionally to see something on the selling tents or to talk to someone that the Seta's new in the village.

"Seta-sensei!" a kid with about 10 or 11 years ran towards Seta-san. "Are we going to have class tomorrow as usual?" he asked.

"Hai but tomorrow will be on the afternoon ok? Can you tell that to the others?" he asked smiling.

"Hai!" he was ready to take off again when Seta-san called him again.

"Also tell them that there will be a surprise…" he said smiling and turning his head on purpose to Kaoru.

The boy looked curiously at the beautiful girl that his sensei had looked at. He had never seen her around but she was sure beautiful. He blushed at his thoughts.

"Well… weren't you in a hurry Sano?" Seta-san said holding the laughter at his pupil reaction.

"Uh… yes! I bid you a good night!" he took off running.

Kaoru and Seta-san shared a laugh that spread within the rest of the group.

"That boy… Sanosuke Sagara. Good boy and a good pupil too. He's going to be your pupil along with those boys he is with, over there." Seta-san told Kaoru.

"Why did you change the training hour Seta-san?" Kaoru asked curious.

"Oh because I intent to teach you the dojo techniques in the morning. You know you use a different technique that I want you to teach the boys but I also want to teach the older ones." He explained.

"Oh… do you think I can learn them in one morning?"

"At least some of them, yes. You are very talented…" he patted her shoulder and smiled.

"Grandpa… I'm sleepy…" said Myuki.

Kaoru bent down and picked her up "There… you can sleep if you want now." She didn't have to say it twice. The child in her arms dozed off quickly.

"Well I think we better go home then…" Soujiro said.

"Yes since it seems that tomorrow I'll have a full day, I agree with you." Kaoru said rocking the girl asleep in her arms back and forth.

Since everyone seemed to agree, the group started walking back to the dojo. More a less in the middle of the way home Soujiro approached Kaoru "I'll take her from here…" he said sweetly "You've already carried her for a long time." He completed in a concerned tone.

"It's ok really. I want to take her…" she smiled at him and continued walking.

They reached home and everyone said their goodnights. Kaoru went to Myuki room and dressed the half-awake girl her yukata and then put her to sleep. She put of the candle and closed the shoji behind her.

"Now…" she let a sigh "Let's get myself to sleep."

She went to her room. She stopped in front of her room and looked at Kenshin's room. The memories of the day came flying to her and she smiled sadly. In her mind the idea that he would never love her persisted. She entered her room.

In his room the same memories assaulted Kenshin and along with them stings of guilt.

**Kenshin's POV**

'I shouldn't have done the things I did today… I don't deserve her…' old memories also came to me 'Tomoe… what if she ends up being killed by me… just like you…' I shivered. The calling upon those memories made me sure that I wouldn't be able to sleep anything at all. Horrific images of Kaoru-dono dead appeared in my head; I shook my head 'Go away… onegai…'

Memories continued assaulting me during the next hours and then I finally fell into a not so peaceful sleep.

**Kaoru's POV**

I felt so tired… I picked a white yukata and dressed it quickly.

As I laid in my futon I let out a pleasurable sigh. I fell asleep…

_The room was pitch black… 'Where am I?' I looked around trying to see if I was still in my room in the dojo._

_"Kaoru?" I couldn't believe my ears…_

_"O-okaa-san?" my voice was soar._

_"Kaoru…" I looked at her in disbelief… there she was standing in front of me with the sweet smile I remembered._

_"Okaa-san! I'm lost… I need your help… why did you send me here? Okaa-san… how do I get back?" I approached her._

_"Do you not remember? Have you forgotten yourself? The Kaoru I knew…" her voice showed disappointment._

_"No… okaa-san… I-i, it's not like that… I do remember, I do!" I felt warm tears streaming down my face "But you have to help me onegai!" I gave another step in her direction extending my hand pleadingly to her. She backed away. She didn't say anything… I closed my eyes painfully and opened them again. Now right in front of me I saw myself by her hospital bed; I gasped for air._

_"Okaa-san… Are you and my little sibling alright? The doctors told me you were hurt…"_

_She reached for my face smiling sweetly "Of course we are ok…" she assured me. I put my small hand in her stomach and noticed it was now flat…_

_"Okaa-san… you… your belly… it's not round anymore… okaa-san my… brother… he died didn't he?" I looked at her pleading for the truth._

_"Hai…" was a sad answer. In all my years of living I had never seen her sad._

_"It's ok mommy… you know you can always have another one… and while you don't, you still have me…" I kissed her cheek and smiled "Your going to be alright aren't you?" I asked unsure._

_She just smiled at me not answering… after a while she made a small effort to talk to me again. I noticed she was breathing hoarsely…_

_"Kaoru…I… want you to know that I love you very much… and so does your father…"_

_"I know…"_

_"Also… keep keen to your dreams and hopes… they're what keeps you alive, they're what guide you." She brushed her hand against my face with much effort and continued smiling._

_"Why are you saying these things? I don't understand!" tears started falling down my cheeks._

_"Shhh… No you can't cry… you have to be strong… for your father… t-take…" she inspired "take good care of him, ok? Promise me that, onegai Ka-Kaoru…"_

_"I promise… but why? I don't understand…"_

_My father entered the room that moment "Kaoru…" he said in an emotionless voice. He had a tired and desperate look. "Go wait outside… your mother needs to rest…"_

_I got out of the room kissing my mother's cheek and giving her one last look. I hung my head low as I closed the door behind._

_Half an hour later my dad came out with his eyes shining with tears. "Is okaa-san resting now?"_

_He looked at me with hatred "Yes… she's in a very long rest Kaoru…" he managed to choke out before leaving me standing there in the middle of the hospital._

_"No… NO… NOOOO!"_

I woke up sweat dripping from my and joining itself with my tears…

"Okaa-san… I don't understand…"

**Me: I'm BACK! Aren't you guys happy? And lookey look at the size of this chapter! God it took me ages to write it! As I said holidays were mostly boring… but hey I got good news: I ENTERED THE SCHOOL I WANTED! I'm now an official ART STUDENT! And I'm damn proud of it too!**

**A way to congratulate would be if I got a lot of reviews… PLEASE!!!**

**_So remember REVIEW!_**

Ja ne!


	11. How time passes

Disclaimer: I don't own it...

Now I'm very sorry I took soooo long to update but I have an explaination! You see my bro had to format the Pc cause it was having some problems and that took a lot of time cause then it gained another amount of problems and he had to do it all over again. Also I want to thank you all for your congrats! Me happy =D

****

TimeWarper once again i say 'You're a curious fellow aren't you?'. Yes i can draw anime although i never like my anime drawings i don't know why... i do prefer my landscapes drawings and paintings... don't worry about that school thing you mentioned: my school only starts in September between 16 and 23 =D! YAY! Also i always have time to update as i also hate those kind of authors who just forget they were writing a story =)

How time passes

Kaoru's POV

I couldn't sleep anymore 'What's she trying to tell me? I don't understand!' I was angry with myself.

I slowly got out of my room through the door that went directly to the garden. I sat on the porch in front of my room. I seated against a column, brought my knees to my chest surrounding them with my arms and laid my head there.

At some point I heard nearby steps but didn't mind them at all and kept in the exact same position. The weather was chilly at that time in the night and I was shivering a little but still I didn't want to move, the night was too peaceful.

I felt a warm and heavy blanket falling on my shoulders and before I could get my head up I heard his voice.

"Kaoru-dono what are you doing up so late?" his concerned voice made me shiver even more than when I hadn't the blanket.

"I could ask you the same thing…" my muffled voice said as I was still hiding my head on my arms to also hide the blush on my cheeks 'Yes I'm blushing just because he actually talked to me! And damn, is his voice sexy…'

"Ah-ah…" he chuckled while he sat down right next to me but maintaining a respectful distance. "I asked you first…" I felt his gaze upon me.

I sighed as I lifted my head now that I had more a less controlled myself "Dreams…"

He smiled sadly "About your mother?"

I looked at him surprised "H-how do you know?"

"I heard you dreaming… you where calling for her and then you just started screaming the word 'no'…" he continued gazing the back of my head as I still hadn't gathered the courage to look at him. I stared at the moon 'I just wish I could tell him… but I have no proofs until I fix that damn watch!' I felt so frustrated having him right there by my side and not being able to tell anything…

"And you? Why are you up so late?" I noticed from the day I'd met him that he hardly ever slept more than a few hours.

"I never sleep much these days…" he said quietly.

"Why?" I was still staring at the moon; a full silver moon, a beautiful one too. I couldn't bring myself to face him, inside I knew that if I turned my head to him that precise moment he would be looking at me with the same kind eyes he always did and above all things the frustration would be too big for me to deal… I would most likely explode and start crying.

He kept quiet so I repeated the question "Why can't you sleep?"

"I… I have nightmares… night brings up memories I'd rather not remember."

"Oh… gomen… I didn't mean to meddle…" I knew those nightmares had something to do with his past and so they were not things he liked remembering. In an act of compassion or most likely stupidness I turned to face him.

My heart froze; like I'd predicted he was starring at me with kind eyes but very sad ones. 'I provoked that sadness?' I felt horrible and wished I hadn't asked him anything. "Gomen nasai… I really didn't want to make you tell anything you didn't want to…" I lowered my head ashamed.

Kenshin's POV

When moments before I'd entered her room and didn't see her, I felt my heart shatter with fear that I could have lost her… Now there she was with the saddest eyes and apologizing me over something that wasn't worth apologies.

I lifted her chin gently so I was facing her; something was troubling her and I was sure it wasn't what she wanted me to think it was.

"You don't need to apologize to me Kaoru-dono… especially when something else is bothering you really much like now."

Tears formed in her beautiful eyes 'DAMN! I just made her cry!' I couldn't bear to think I had just made her cry… "Please… don't cry…" I pleaded to her softly. She closed her eyes and to lonely tears fell down her cheeks; I stopped them with my thumbs and then wiped them away. "Whatever is bothering you Kaoru-dono, you can count on me for help…" two more tears fell and I was starting to feel nervous about not being able to make her stop "Everything will be alright… really…"

"You think so?" her voice came in a choked whisper.

"Iie Kaoru-dono I don't think so, I'm sure of it." I cupped her face with both my hands and kissed her forehead softly, trying to comfort her. Her tears were now falling in a larger amount from her confused eyes.

"Kenshin?" she asked me.

"Yes Kaoru-dono?"

"You'll always be by my side, won't you?"

I nodded… she got closer to me, closer enough to lay her head on my shoulder and that's exactly what she did. We stayed like that for a long period of time. She was almost sleeping and her tears had stopped falling when she spoke again.

"How did you find me out here?" she asked in a sleepy voice.

I thanked the gods that she wasn't looking my way or she would have noticed the sudden blush that had hit me "I… I, well I woke up from a nightmare I had about you…" my voice was so low I almost couldn't hear myself.

"About me?" she asked surprised.

I swallowed hard 'Now that I started, I'll have to finish' "Hai…"

"And what happened that made you come to seek for me?"

"Y-you were killed and I couldn't save you…" I finished trembling 'More precisely I couldn't prevent you from being killed by me… just like Tomoe…'

"Oh… and that's why you came to seek me?"

"Hai… I was afraid that the dream had become true…"

"Gomen…" she whispered in my neck making me feel… well… aroused…

"Why are you apologizing?" I manage to reply in a completely altered voice.

"I wasn't in my room… you must have caught quite a scare ne?"

I sighed and nodded. The feeling of her smooth hair against my neck was so good… I turned to look at her; she had fallen asleep… and boy did she look like an angel.

"I wish you good dreams…"

I scooped her in my arms and took her to her bedroom. I laid her on her futon swiftly and covered her up. There were still a few hours 'till dawn… at least she would get some sleep. I walked to the shoji that gave to the garden and closed it then I walked to Kaoru-dono's side again and sat there watching her sleep. She was so innocent when she was sleeping. Even though it was still dark all the past ghosts that had tormented me all night, near her seemed to have disappeared. I knew that she was the one I wanted, she was the one that completed me again, she was the one that saved me from all those memories and brought peace to me once again…

In her sleep her hand gripped the air as she turned her beautiful face to me. I took her hand and kissed her forehead.

"Aishiteru Kaoru-dono…" I whispered with my heart beating fast and she smiled in her sleep leaving me quite confused but then I regained reason 'She must be having a good dream…' I thought happily 'I'm not worthy of you… I know I'm not. But I can't help myself…' I kept her hand through the rest of the night…

The day was called in when the bright sun started to rise. I got up and left Kaoru-dono sleeping. 'I'll go prepare breakfast and then maybe I'll do some laundry…'

Normal POV

Kaoru continued sleeping happily. She was enjoying her sleep but unfortunately not for long… Soujiro entered the room silently and crouched besides her for a minute absorbing the beauty she exhaled then he shook her lightly.

"Kaoru… you have to get up."

"Oh… just one more minute mom… school hasn't started yet…" she said half-conscious. (A/N: I actually do this very often… l0ol xx)

Soujiro looked at her strangely and tried again "Kaoru grandfather said you'd better wake up to go train with him."

"What time is it…?" she asked still with her eyes closed in a drowsy voice.

"Well about 7 o'clock in the morning. It's more than time for sleeping beauty to wake up, no?"

Her eyes flung open and she started cursing "What the hell?! It's 7 o'clock in the morning and he wants me to wake up?! I'm gonna kill Seta-san… I'm gonna kill your grandfather Sou-kun!"

He started to chuckle "You're so funny when you wake up all grumpy like this. He straightened himself and offered his hand "Here, let me help you get up!"

She took his hand gladly and got up. "Will you do me a favor?"

"It depends…" he said with a mischievous smile.

"Well actually is more do yourself a favor…" she looked at him with her deadly death glare and said "Next time you wake me up at 7 in the mornin' you better come dressed in a armor, I can be very dangerous at this hour in the mornin'…"

He chuckled once more "To be sure I don't get killed maybe next time I'll send grandpa, Kenshin or Myuki-chan to wake you up…" he then left.

Kaoru's POV

She stood there still cursing the world for a few seconds and then gave up "Well I might as well get dressed since they made me the favor of waking me up!"

I took a training outfit out of the closet and dressed it then tied my hair in a high bun and left the room.

I reached the kitchen "Yawn Ohayo minna-san…" I said to the three man in the room. Myu-chan was still sleeping.

"Ohayo…" they replied to me one by one.

I sat down and started to eat breakfast. 'It's delicious I wonder if Kenshin cooked it like last nights dinner…'

"Wonderful breakfast you made here Himura-san…" said Seta-san clearing my doubts. "I would never have thought that you cooked so well my friend…" he said smiling.

"Oro…" Kenshin was getting embarrassed "Sessha's master made sessha cook every day for him…" he said sweat dropping. An image of Kenshin's master passed my mind and also one with Kenshin wearing a pink apron. I couldn't keep myself from laughing out loud. The three men looked at me as if I was crazy but still I didn't mind. Soon enough I was rolling myself on the ground, crying with laughter.

"Kaoru-dono are you feeling ok?"

"Uhm… Kaoru is something the matter?"

"Kaoru-san… would you please tell us what's so funny?" interfered Seta-san "Not that we don't like seeing you happy my dear…"

"It's… just… laugh just that I was imagining Kenshin in a pink apron… laugh g-gomen nasai… I c-couldn't resist Kenshin… when you said laugh your master made you cook for him laugh I just couldn't help myself but to imagine you as a maid or somethin' like tha' laugh"

Kenshin turned crimson "Oro…? It's ok… really…" he said first smiling sweetly at me and then chuckling along with us. 'Ohhh he's sooo sweet… he doesn't even gets mad with me for laughing at him…' my heart beat fast 'That's why I like him… he's always so sweet to me.'

We ended up eating soon and I left with Seta-san to train with him.

Kenshin's POV

I eyed her well shaped figure get out of the room after Seta-san.

"What do you feel for her?" came Soujiro's clear voice to me.

"Oro?" I looked at him quizzingly.

Soujiro shook his head "Nothing…" he said and after a minute or so when we were washing the dishes "She's different from any other girl isn't she?"

"Hai…" I couldn't stop myself from agreeing with that. It was without any doubt a clear matter. He smiled at me with his always strange smile.

We finished cleaning the dishes only leaving breakfast for the still sleeping Myuki.

"I'm going to wake my sis up…" he left the room. 'He cares for his sister a lot… I wonder if Kaoru-dono's think's I care for her in the same manner Soujiro-san cares for his sister…'

I shrugged and left the room to go and do the laundry.

Kaoru's POV

--After 5 hours and a half of training--

I got out of the dojo sweating like a pig 'Oh man! Five hours of training! I wonder what Seta-san had in his mind! Gosh I don't think I'll be able to teach this goddamn afternoon!'

I sighted Kenshin sweeping the porch floor, the laundry was set drying and everything seemed a lot cleaner… or… I was just feeling too dirty…

"So how did the training go?" he asked me simply.

"Fine…" I muttered. He looked at me worried because of the tone voice I used 'Maybe I was a little rude… demo… after five hours of torture who could blame me? I'll apologize later… after taking a nice bath…'

"Is something wrong Kaoru-dono?"

"Iie… I'm just tired that's all…" I left him there starring at me. But what I had told him was really true. I was very tired...

Normal POV

Kenshin looked at Seta-san... "She's right to be that tired Kenshin... She manage to learn all the tecniques in one morning!"

"Oh... so that's why she's so grumpy..."

"Yes, don't worry she wasn't mad at you..."

"For one second I thought..." he silenced himself. Seta-san smiled at him assuringly and went inside the house.

Time passed quickly and soon enough was time for Kaoru's first lesson as teacher.

Kenshin's POV

Kaoru-dono was in her room preparing herself to go give a class.

"Knock knock" I knocked on her shoji "Kaoru-dono may I enter?"

"Hai..."

When I enter I was shocked to see her with Soujiro, somehow I hadn't felt his presence...

"It's time for your lesson..."

"I know..." she smiled at me and ME only 'Hmph...' "Wish me luck guys..."

"Good luck Kao-chan!" Soujiro said getting up and giving her a small nodd.

"I wish you good luck Kaoru-dono, de gozaru..." I couldn't resist but to lay my hand on her shoulder. Soujiro got out of the room ahead of us with a strange glint in his eyes after that.

Kaoru-dono got near me, my heart started beating really fast and I felt the air and myself suddenly get a lot hotter.

"Kenshin...?" she asked looking concerned at me.

"H-hai, Kaoru-dono?" I mumbled.

"Gomen ne... for being so rude at you before... you know, when I got out of my training..." she looked ashamed and that was a thing I couldn't bare to see her looking. All my life I've lots of wrong things and that was nothing comparing to what I had done before.

"You don't need to apologize, de gozaru..."

"But I want to!"

"Demo... you don't have to... anyone could tell that you were very tired, de gozaru." I took my hand off her shoulder and gave her my best smile "Now off you go! You have a lesson to teach 'sensei'!"

She giggled like a little girl "I do, de gozaru!" she grinned at me and took off running.

'Did she just mock sessha?', 'Of course she did! Anyone whose someone must mock you, you baka!' the battousai told him 'There's no need to be so insensitive!' said a hurt rurouni 'Oh gods help me... he wants me and pay atention ME, that's M-E to be more sensitive! Hmph! BAKA!', 'Ororororo...'

Normal POV

Kaoru was almost having an heart attack! Seta-san wasn't even going to enter with her! He had gone out to get some tofu for dinner...

"Konnichiwa..." she said entering the dojo trying to look confident but failing greatly.

Everyone turn their heads to her surprised. One of them was the boy, Sagara Sanosuke, the one that had talked to them the night before. She recognised him almost immediatly and smiled a little. The boy blushed his head off and then went to talk to her.

"Aren't you the girl that was with Seta-sensei yesterday?"

"Hai..."

"Uhm... could you tell us if the sensei is going to take long?"

"The sensei is already here..." she said getting a little acrobated but then she remembered they didn't know that she was the surprise Seta-san was talking about.

"He is?" the boy asked in disbelief.

"No he isn't..."

The boy looked confused now "Nani? Demo... you just said he was!" he looked at her as if she was crazy.

"I didn't said he was, I said the sensei was... And you're looking at the sensei this precise moment." all boys stared at her eyes wide.

"You've got to be kiddin'!" one of them exclaimed.

"No..." she tried to explain but was cut off.

"I mean a girl teaching kendo?!" another one said.

"Not a girl!" a boy with spiked black hair yelled "A busu! An ugly old hag! I bet she can't even lift the bokken!"

Kaoru was really pissed off "Look here you bunch of bakas! I'm the surprise Seta-san told Sanosuke about! He offered me his place as a teacher here in the dojo!" she stomped her way to the boy who had called her busu "And you! What's your name?"

"Yahiko..." he muttered gulping under her menacing glance.

She took his bokken from his hands and hit him with it on his head "That's what you get for calling me names!" she hit him again "And that's the prove I can lift a damn bokken!"

Everyone looked at her in awe except for Yahiko who was cursing under his breath.

"Now does anyone else doubt the fact that I'm your new sensei?!"

"NO!" they all yelled at the same time in fear.

"Good... Now lets start the damn class..."

She started giving the lesson right away. In the beginning it was awkward but then they started enjoying the class and by the end they were all more a less 'in love' with the beautiful new sensei.

They would do all kinds of things to get her near since faking that they didn't know how to do the move for her to go teach them singularly to faking that they had hurted themselves.

Kenshin entered the dojo without making any noise. He had finished his shores for the day and was very interested in watching Kaoru teaching. He couldn't help but to smirk at the boys attitude towards her, trying to get her atention all the time but at the same time he felt jealous that she was surrounded by so many boys. What really impressed him was the fact that she hadn't notice the boys behaviour towards her. She really was a naïve girl but in the matter of fact that was one of the things that he liked on her.

Me: Before i say the same thing always i just have a last announcement: the Olympic Games finally started! I love the Olympics cause i myself am a sportist... i practise gymnastic ( the same kind those guys do in the Olympic Games =) i just don't like entering competitions... =P i get way too nervous... My coach gets really pissed at me some times ... i wonder why =P

Well now to the normal thing:

REVIEW PEOPLE! IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT! sniff sometimes i just get the feeling you people don't like me any more BUAHHHHH

gets out of the room crying my friggin' head off

Ja ne!


	12. That fateful day

**Disclaimer:** I have no more funny ideas to put this stuff in so you already know that I don't own it right? =)

**Uhm let's see: firstly thank you _all_ for your reviews!** They have been a precious help! **TimeWarper** you're over reacting as usual but that's fine cause I just crack myself up when you do so! So continue over reacting cause it's really funny! I'm very disappointed at you! You didn't ask me to clear any doubt for you the last chapter! You're so good at being curious! L0ol

**cincygurl22** I'm proud of you! At least you continue questioning my "motives" as in take doubts like a good student! =P and now the answer that I'm sure you realized be yourself to the half question half "I already know it to be true" question (so is sano really young in this story?). The answer is yes =D! Now continue like that and make me proud! I want you to question me again soon! As some people –cough- TimeWarper –cough- decided that questioning me is not important anymore!!!

**kougacat01** you're a gymnast too?! That's like sooo cool! =D I mean I really love doing gymnastics! I like doing bars also but gosh once I fell doing one exercise right before I was going to perform it for the judges and I got really nervous cause it was a hell of a fall! As I pass to explain my right hand slipped from the bar and I was launched forwards in a very awkward sided position but actually managed to fall down on my butt… l0ol after everyone came to see if I was ok I just cracked myself up with laughter! Yep I started laughing but then the terror came I had to face the judges, it had just reached my turn to do the exercise! Theater's cool! This year I'm going to enter kendo and I'm gonna try do both gymnastics and kendo =)

Well to the chapter now!

**That fateful day**

**Normal POV**

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into a month... Yes it had been a month since Kaoru was sent back in time.

She was happy with her new life but on the other hand she was feeling more and more miserable as time passed. Everyday she would try to fix the watch and everyday she would fail, she was getting crazy, she had tried everything from resetting it over and over again to smacking it against the walls and almost everyday she would cry, she had enough reasons to do so; first there was the fact she still wasn't able to understand her dreams, then she couldn't fix the watch and get some help from someone, and lastly her growing feelings for everybody were turning out to be a obstacle in getting herself out of there, specially her feelings for Kenshin, she was now completely and hopelessly in love with him and the fact that she didn't understand his sweet behavior towards her mistaking it for sister-brother care, didn't help her… in a matter of fact it only made her cry even more with heartache.

Kenshin also had found himself a new life and he liked it but only because she was there. He knew that wherever he was if she were with him, he would feel happy. At the same time he had begun worrying for Kaoru as the days passed. She was always tired and never seemed to sleep enough, he knew why, he heard her every night, dreaming and then waking up only to start crying afterwards. Some times he would go to her and comfort her but others he forbid himself cause he knew that sooner or later she would have to leave and the more he was in her presence, the more he got near her, the more it would hurt him to see her go and at the same time there were his memories, there was Tomoe. For many times he would curse himself for not helping Kaoru in her despair… also he had noticed that sometimes during dinner she would give some lame excuse to get out of the table to go to her room, only for him to find her crying. Finally he was now used to hear her smacking something against the walls in her room and cursing out loud. He had tried many times to ask her what was wrong but she would always give him the same response 'Everything was ok and he was only imagining things.'

Both of them had turned their lives into routines until that fateful day…

**Kaoru's POV**

"HEY AUNTIE KAO-CHAN!!!!" Myu-chan entered my room waking me up "Time to wake up!"

I yawned and rubbed my eyes "I'm gonna kill you…" as I quickly got up she had already run away but she didn't go to far cause the minute she passed my room shoji she collided against Kenshin and I that was after her also collided against him.

The three of us fell round on the floor with Myu-chan between us sort of like a sandwich.

"Ooops…." I and Myu-chan said at the same time and then we cracked ourselves with laughter.

"Oro?!" he looked confused but then he also started chuckling along with us.

We got up giggling and left Kenshin miserably oroing on the floor.

**Kenshin's POV**

'Sessha begun the day in a quite awkward way, de gozaru… demo… at the same time sessha felt good when sessha saw Kaoru-dono happy. It has been quite a long time since sessha saw her like that early in the morning…'

After lifting myself up of the floor I thanked Kami for the laughter coming from Kaoru-dono's room.

"Ohayo gozaimasu…" I said to Seta-san and Soujiro-kun as I entered the kitchen.

"Ohayo Kenshin-san…" Soujiro-kun replied smiling being followed by Seta-san who nodded with his head.

I helped them with the breakfast and when we had almost finished.

"OHAYO MINNA-SAN!" the two girls stormed into the kitchen.

All of us smiled. It felt good seeing them so happy…

"I'm glad that you're so happy today Kaoru-dono…" she sat down by my side as usual.

"What do you mean 'today'?" she asked me faking an incredulous tone.

"Nothing… just that I'm glad you're happy Kaoru-dono…" I smiled at her.

She smiled back, but it wasn't a true smile… no those were long gone. She then shrugged and started eating.

"Seta-san is there anything special to do today? Since it is weekend and I don't have to teach the boys…"

"If I need something, I'll ask!" he smiled at Kaoru-dono "Don't worry…"

"Hai…"

**Kaoru's POV**

As soon as the breakfast was over I excused myself and got out. Although I had wakened up fine I was feeling once again down. I felt happy in the morning because I had no dreams last night and I thought it was a good thing. I finally had a good night's sleep in at least one week! Demo… it isn't… if the answer is in the dreams… if the dreams don't come back…

Tears clouded my vision as I entered my room. 'It's all bottled up inside me!' I leaned against the wall and slid down. 'If only I could tell someone!'

"It's… it's not fair…" I sobbed "It's not fair!" I shook violently "I can't take this!!" I got up and walked to the closet.

"Where is it?!" I was looking for the watch. I lifted the shorts and found it.

I reset it… nothing "Why can't you just work!!!WHY?!" I threw the watch against the wall angrily. "It's NOT FAIR!"

I fell down on my knees crying desperately. I heard steps and from the other side of the shoji came Sou-kun voice "Kaoru? Kaoru, daijobu?"

I calmed myself down the best I could and answered him "D-daijobu, Sou-kun. I just tripped!"

Luckily a moment after he left. I got on my feet and walked towards the watch 'I have to be more careful with my outbursts… I'll get caught if I continue like this…'

"Piiipiii! Piiipiii!"

"Wha…?" I looked down at the floor. I started to shake uncontrollably as I reached for the watch.

The watch lay on my hand…

"It's working…" I whispered in an I-can't-believe-this voice as my eyes widened with surprise and disbelief. "It's working. It's WORKING!"

Without acknowledging it I was once again shouting and also jumping up and down in delight "YESS! IT WORKS!"

As I calmed down I prepared myself to set the defaults. 'Uhm let me see… which month are in?' I started to set the month, the year, the day and then I reached the hours and it hit me… I didn't have the slightest idea what time it was…

**Kenshin's POV**

I was peacefully doing the laundry when Kaoru-dono burst out of her room calling me.

"KENSHIN!!!"

I spun around as quickly as I could "Kaoru-dono? Daijobu? Is something the matter?"

"Hai! Come!" she took my wet hands without worrying about that fact and pulled me to her room.

She closed the shoji behind her "What time is it?"

"Oro?!"

"Don't oro me Kenshin! Tell what freaking time is it?"

I looked at her confused and then looked out the window to see the position of the shadows in order to tell Kaoru-dono the right time "It's… uh… around ten o'clock Kaoru-dono. Is that why you called me?" I looked at her when she did not answer me and for the first time I noticed a strange object in her beautiful hands.

"There…" she muttered smiling.

"Kaoru-dono, what's that?" I asked pointing at the strange object.

She stopped smiling and looked at me with a thoughtful look on her face.

"I might as well take the chance…" she finally said.

"What chance?" without understanding why my heart started to beat faster than I thought my heart could ever beat. 'What's she talking about?'

"Kenshin… I… I need to tell you something… do you think you have a little time to hear me?"

I shook my head "Of course Kaoru-dono. It seems serious, the laundry can wait."

She motioned me to seat and I did so. I sat in front of her ready to listen to her.

"Do you remember when you first met me? I said some weird stuff and also I never told you where my home is or why I don't know how to get back there. You remember that, don't you?"

I nodded. 'I could I forget the first time I had met you…' I felt my gaze soften at the thought of that.

"Well…" she swallowed hard 'I wish I could help you say whatever you want to say Kaoru-dono… it seems so hard for you….' "Kenshin, promise me that you won't think I'm crazy. Promise me you'll believe what I'm going to say. You once said you would be by my side always, you said you would believe me…"

"Kaoru-dono, trust me. I promise I'll believe you! I did say that and I will do it… onegai… trust me." I took her hand and squeeze it lightly.

"It's going to be a long strange story Kenshin… indeed very strange…" she muttered.

I nodded to let her know she could continue.

"Well… Let's start from the beginning... before you met me." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'm not from this era… I'm from the future Kenshin…"

**Me:** **Konnichiwa! Well this one ends here people. Let's see how Kenshin will react to that! Anyway I know lately I take longer then in the beginning to update but it's just that I've been having real problems with this part of the story. It's being quite difficult cause it's a very important point of transition… and all that technical stuff I won't get into now. Well anyway I hope you like this new chapter as I put a lot of thinking into it.**

_**If you guys review I'll give you a cookie! No… matte…. Not a cookie a whole chocolate bar! What do you say about that? So you know just REVIEW and win a magnificent CHOCOLATE BAR!**_

Ja ne!


	13. To know, to trust and to believe

**Disclaimer:** … you already know.

_--Distributes chocolate bars to everyone who reviewed--_

Now enjoy your chocolate while you read this new chapter =)… I must tell you that I went through quite controversial moments and many conflicting thoughts to decide how to write this chapter or what to write in this chapter… so I'm really sorry if I messed up somehow! Anyway hope you like it cause I did my best just for you!!

**To know, to trust and to believe**

**Kenshin's POV**

I felt my eyes widen in shock and at the same time I forced myself not to let my mouth hang open. "Oro…" it was the only stupid thing I could articulate after such news… my heart believed it to be true but my mind didn't.

Her eyes were pleading for my silence and my readiness. There was more to come. I couldn't bring myself to disbelieve her and at the same time I couldn't bring myself to believe her. I composed myself as quick as I could. After all she did say it was going to be a strange and long story…

"I…" she stumbled "I know this sounds crazy… but believe me… after I'm finished it will sound much crazier or maybe… not…"

I nodded in acceptance and waited for her to continue.

"Remember when you first met me and I had this weird reaction to you? I said things that seemed incoherent and I was dressed in a weird way…" I nodded 'I could I forget the day I met you Kaoru-dono… that day changed my life.' I decided to keep the thought for myself.

"Well you see, if you look through my point of view, you'll realize it was not that incoherent and not that weird. In the future… no… in my present, your future, people dress those kinds of clothes. Remember when I told you about that jogging thing? Well people do jogging for sport or fun… jogging is… uh… lets say running, but running for pleasure most of the times or it can also be an exercise." She stopped to regain her breath 'Oro… I'm so confused!' "Anyway that day we met I had this discussion with my father because he engaged me with some prick. He didn't care that I didn't like Atsu… oh no! The only thing he seems to care is the money that wedding might bring to him…" she dropped her head in anger whipping her tears furiously away. It broke my heart seeing her like that but somehow her emotions showed that her story wasn't a lie, on the contrary for awkward it may be her emotions only proved her sanity. No person out of his mind could tell such a story and at the same time show the emotion she was showing so perfectly and her ki only proved her emotions to be true. 'Even though it's strange!' the battousai wasn't going to let me go for it so easily and I knew…

"Uhm… I decided to skip everything I had to do that day including my kendo class to go jogging down to the beach… it always makes me feel better… jogging that is! So I did went to the beach, precisely on those clothes you first saw me with." When I entered the room I noticed the clothes lying around somewhere "I swam during a little while… sea water can be so calming. After all the jogging and the swimming I got tired so I fell asleep in the sand…" she made a full stop. I noticed she wasn't sure of what to say next so I tried to encourage her with a meaningful look.

"You see…" she shook her head "I still don't understand… but I had a dream… about my mother… I don't remember all of it at least not the dialogue… just images… it was strange… somehow it seemed so true… something that happened long ago…" she took a deep breath and closed her eyes "When I woke up the sun was beginning to set… I had slept through lots of hours… I still don't know how… but anyway… the first thing I noticed was that I was burned from the sun… it was strange cause after so many ours in the sun… a strong sun too… not being burned, red or at least tanned by it, was very strange." She reopened her eyes. "I left the beach and at the beginning I didn't believe my eyes… people were dressing weird out of fashion clothes… there was a harbor in the beach with wooden ships… first I thought it was the scenery for some movie and that's why I thought you were an actor… cause you too were dressed in old fashioned clothes… but cutting to what matters. I run to where my house was supposed to be and when I got there instead of a house, was that forest or wood… I caught quite a shock… I think I got quite lost there and I ended up testing my sanity when I hit my head against a tree. I thought it was all a dream… so I didn't think I was going to actually feel anything. I hit the tree as hard I could that moment… so hard I actually hurt myself and fainted."

My jaw dropped… so she had actually made that wound to herself?! That was a self-inflicted wound? 'Kami… ororororoooo! I'm sooooo very much confused!!!'

"From there you know what happened… you found me and you took care of me… and I'm grateful for that…" she opened my hand and deposited the strange object "That's called a digital watch. It gives the hours and some other things. See?" she pointed the numbers shining on the… watch?

"A digital watch?" I didn't remembered watches being like that!

"Hai… I know the watch you're used to see are not even close to this one but if you pay attention it's showing the correct hours…" she touched a button "And also today's date… this watch is one of the many strange things from where I come from…"

"Kaoru-dono… this is most… un…" I was cut off.

"Unbelieveble?! That's it, isn't it? That's what you were going to say, wasn't it?" she got up and gave me a desperate look "I knew it! I shouldn't have told you… you must think that I'm crazy by now…" tears started to fall down her cheeks, I got up and try to wipe them but she slapped my hand off letting me astonished.

"Kaoru-dono… please…" she cut me once again.

"Shut up… Shut up! I don't want to hear it Kenshin! You promised! You said you'd believe me…" I tried to approach her… she stepped back "But come to think of it… it isn't you're fault Kenshin… it truly isn't… I shouldn't have put you through this kind of situation… I was a fool… I…" more tears were spilled "Gomen… Gomen nasai Kenshin…"

She turned around and tried to exit the room… I was completely taken aback but I had to react and fast…

**Kaoru's POV**

I felt his hand grab my fist. First he grabbed it lightly but as I tried to free myself his grip became harder.

"Kaoru-dono… stop…"

I didn't care… I just wanted to disappear. I tried once more to free myself "Let me go…" he didn't let go… his grip grew harder and I started to whimper… his eyes had the amber color…

"Will you stop struggling?" he asked harshly.

"No… let me go Kenshin…" with my free hand I hit him on the shoulder…

In a matter of seconds he had me pinned against the nearest wall. One of his hands was grabbing both my wrists and his own body maintained me pinned against the wall.

"Will you listen to me?" his eyes begun to change color once again, back to their violet sweet one "Will you Kaoru-dono?"

Instead of an answer I cried even harder… how could I let him speak? He didn't believe me… I had been a fool and I was frustrated.

"I believe you…" his voice came in an unsure whisper. Although it was unsure he did have my attention.

I looked at him… I focused on his simple and sweet eyes…

"I do believe you, Kaoru-dono." This time his voice was trust filled and he was very sure of himself.

"Nani…?" I… couldn't believe it… this time I just couldn't trust my ears…

"Sessha promised… promised to believe… and sessha does believe…" he spoke gently and his grip on my wrists lightened a lot… I almost didn't feel it.

"Uhm… Kenshin… you don't need to say that just to make me feel better… I understand if you don't believe…" I still don't know what I was thinking when I tested him again… I mean… I was more then convinced that he believed me… but still…

His grip tightened once again, his eyes became desperately amberish… I felt so afraid… that moment I didn't saw Kenshin I would saw the battousai. I had defied his word and he hadn't liked it.

"What can I do for you to trust me?" he said in an almost inaudible grunt.

I chocked out some incomprehensible words, not even I understood myself. Tears once again came sulking down my already salty and puffy face.

One minute I closed my eyes to try to regain my composure, the other minute I felt his warm lips crushed against mine.

'Oh my… what is he doing?!' this was the first thought that came to me. Soon after I freed my hands and unconsciously they found their way around Kenshin's neck.

I was unable to think just to feel, feel the warmth of his body, feel his gentle lips and his arms around my waist.

"Autie Kao-chan!!!"

We broke apart, flushed and embarrassed.

"I…" we said at the same time.

"Autie Kao-chan!!!" she peeked inside my room "There you are…"

I made my way to her "What do you want squirt?"

"I want to go for a walk and nii-chan and grandpa are occupied… so I was thinking…"

"I'll go with you… Now you go ahead I have to tell Kenshin something…"

"Hai!" with that she took off.

I turned around to face Kenshin. "I…" I was cut off.

He bowed "Gomen nasai… I shouldn't have done that…"

"Kenshin… it wasn't just you…"

"Kaoru-dono, sessha is really sorry… and sessha just wanted to say that it won't happen again… It shouldn't have happened in the first place…" at his last sentence I felt my heart shatter but I didn't pay any attention to that… some other time perhaps.

"I know…" he had used the sessha thing on purpose… I had fully understood… "But if you apologized to me then I'll apologize to you too… Gomen nasai Kenshin."

I walked for the shoji "Oh… Arigato gozaimasu…" he looked at me confused "For believing me, for keeping your promise." I exited the room and went to meet the hyper excited Myu-chan but I couldn't help myself but to feel that it had been so right, that kiss… 'Gosh… he's a good kisser…' I started to giggle although I felt pretty messed up with all that had happened 'A stroll will be good to clear my mind up.'

**Kenshin's POV**

I stood there in her room looking spacing out. My hand on my lips… I couldn't help but to feel them burning. 'Kami she's sweet…' I sighed and got out to continue what I had left pendent 'Wait! What in the world am I thinking?! She's not meant for me… I'm unworthy of her and that's final! Besides if she manages to get back to… her time…' it still felt weird to think something like that… but the truth was that I truly believed it… even though I didn't want to finish the thought… 'If… oh Kami… I won't ever see her again…' my heart was aching but I knew what I had to do… I had to help her get back… back to where she belonged. I continued mourning over that while I did the laundry. 'Oh stop mourning you baka!' the battousai made his appearance 'I mean… you just kissed her!', 'Yeah and I shouldn't have done that! Sessha doesn't deserve Kaoru-dono…' I sighed once again… how I found difficult to say that… 'Oh shut up! Your not gonna tell me that you didn't like it! I mean you can't… cause I liked it… so you liked it too and don't go and give me that unworthy crap thing!' with that he actually manage to make him stop mourning and somehow managed to break a little, but only a little my unworthy ideal.

**Kaoru's POV**

We were going for a stroll by the little lake near the village. A minute ago I was holding her hand somehow she got free and was now running ahead of me picking flowers. I stopped and looked at her… 'Kawai… she makes me remember myself with her age…' I giggled 'I'm going to miss her… if I get to go back… maybe when I marry and have kids I'll call the first girl I'll have Myuki…' but when I realized my thought… 'Like… I'm not marrying anyone except…' I blushed 'Kenshin… at least for love I won't!' my eyes saddened 'But… oh this is so confusing! First he did say that the kiss shouldn't have happened… probably he thinks I'm crazy or something like that! I mean… he only said that because he doesn't like me… not like I like him… and then there's the fact that even if he did I'm still from another time and sooner or later I'll go back… and then…' I stopped dead in my tracks 'I'll never see him again… OH THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!'

"Auntie Kao-chan?" Myu-chan was pulling my kimono, trying to get my attention.

"Uh?" I looked down at her.

"Daijobu?"

"I okay sweet heart. Why do you ask?"

"Cause you spaced out!" she started to smile wickedly. I shivered.

"What are you smiling at, squirt?"

"You!"

"Why?"

"Cause I bet you were thinking about Uncle Kenny!"

I blushed "Is that so? Why do you say that?" I started to tickle her.

"Cause you were blushing!" she said between laughs then she started to run away from me and I went after her happily and feeling more relaxed.

'Arigato Kami… I really needed to relax…'

**Me:** Well!!! I have an announcement to make! This Friday I'm going to Mozambique and I won't be able to write for two whole weeks… --prays in hope the readers won't kill me--anyway…. I'll try (attention on the TRY, T-R-Y) to write another chapter before Friday… so if I don't write again until then I hope you manage to live throughout the two weeks without reading my story! And PLEASE don't kill me! Blame it on my dad! He was the one that marked these two week holidays to this date! I'll leave you with these two questions: Will Kaoru ever get back? What is going to happen between Kaoru and Kenshin now that they have kissed? - the answers will surely be on the next near chapters… I just want to leave you guys dying to know the answers =P

_**Okay… if you REVIEW I'll give you all candy lots and lots of candy (if I continue like this I'm gonna go bankrupt!)**_


	14. Passing anger

**Disclaimer:** … sigh….

I kind of re-read the last chapter and I'm soo embarrassed! I mean I made a lot of mistakes… grammatical ones and also some sentences don't make a lot of sense! I'm really sorry… I think I've been tired lately… I almost don't sleep at night cause I'm one of those persons who happen to be insomniac… at least during holidays… 99% of my nights are passed with great insomnias. Once again I beg your pardon for my mistakes!

Since some asked for me to update before going away… I decided to grant that wish… if you see something that doesn't make sense… don't kill me… I had to write this chapter between small pauses on other things I had to do this week…

**Passing anger**

**Kaoru's POV**

"Myu-chan!" I called her out.

"I'm here." She said appearing from behind a tree.

I pointed the medium mass of water "We're here…"

She nodded and walked by my side until we got near enough the lake. I took my sandals and sat on the grass with my feet resting on the cool water while my little friend entered the border water and started to play there.

"Don't get to far ok?"

"Hai!"

I smiled at the girl. The water was beautiful. Its blue was so pure and crystalline that I could see every little rock and pebble on the bottom. A shoal of fish passed by and made Myu-chan squeal in delight.

"Look at all the pretty fishys!!!" she said clapping her hands. I couldn't help but to laugh. "What's so funny?" she asked curiously.

"It's just that you make me remember myself… when I was your age…"

"Oh…"

My ears caught some disturbing noise.

"Hey… Isn't that Busu-sensei and Myuki-chan?" it was Yahiko's voice. I was going to protest the fact he had once again insulted me but I figured I didn't need to.

"She's not BUSU! You're such a baka Yahiko!" all the other boys said.

I couldn't help myself but to giggle 'Why do they act like this?'

"Kaoru-sensei! Konnichiwa!" I slightly turned around.

"Konnichiwa boys!" I waved at them and was about to get up to go talk to them but once again I figured I didn't need to. They were already at my side… no, not at my side… they were all around me. Forming a half circle.

"So… what are you boys doing here today?"

"Fishing!" they all answered at the same time.

"Hehe…" they sure could creep me out when they started to act like that. "Ok then… why did you surround me?"

"Uh…" in a couple of seconds they were fighting about who would stay by my side. 'Oh goodness… what are this boys thinking?!'

"Boys! Come on… don't you have some fishing to do? If you all get on the same place you won't catch any fish! Now get yourselves distributed and start working on that fishing thing…" I sighed…

Myu-chan was rolling herself on the floor with laughter.

"Oi! Squirt! What are you laughing about?" asked Sanosuke.

"At all of you! You all act so weird near Auntie Kao-chan!"

At Myu-chan's comment I smiled and then sweat dropped clueless at the way the boys react. All of them started to blush, except for Yahiko-kun that muttered something rude and then they all started to do strange things like whistling, mumbling and scratching their heads.

Half an hour latter everything had gone normal and I watched Myu-chan playing with one of my students and the rest of the boys concentrated in their fishing activities. 'Fishing… I haven't fished in the longest time… since…' my moral dropped 'since you died okaa-san…'

The time passed quickly. I gave another look around 'Maybe we should get back… or they'll start worrying… it's almost lunch time…'

"Hey Miss Daisy!" I waved at Myu-chan trying to get her attention.

"Miss what?" 'Uups… I forgot she doesn't know what the Muppets are… hihi… pitty… really funny cartoons…'

"Uh… nothing…" I smiled and cleaned her dirty face with a wet piece of my kimono "We have to get back home… it's almost lunch time." I picked her up 'We'll get quicker if I take her…' then I turned to the boys "You boys should get home too… it's almost lunch time!"

They all nodded and started picking their things.

"Ja ne!" both me and Myu-chan said waving at them and they waved back at us.

**--Back at the dojo--**

**Kenshin's POV**

The sun was high on the sky. 'It must be near lunch time…' I had just finished with the laundry 'Maybe I should go and start the lunch… Soujiro and Seta-san are occupied fixing the roof…'

I went to the kitchen and started chopping the vegetables. 'I wonder what's taking Kaoru-dono so long… She's been gone for at least two or three hours now… I sure hope nothing happened to her and Myu-chan. I wouldn't forgive myself…'

I was so caught up with my thoughts that I didn't notice what I was doing.

**Kaoru's POV**

"We're home!" I put Myuki down. She took off looking for her brother. 'Let's see if I can help with lunch…'

I walked to the kitchen. "Oh… hi Kenshin!" I swallowed all the feelings coming up to me and managed to sound perfectly normal.

He looked completely spaced out. I got near him and waved a hand in front of his eyes. "Hey…" I spoke softly "Kenshin… wake up!"

"Uh…? Wha…?" suddenly he looked at me realizing I was talking to him. "G-gomen… were you saying something Kaoru-dono?" he was blushing mad and that made me a little bit happier.

"Uh… well I said hi… and then…" I stopped. Something caught my eye. "Oh my gosh! Kenshin you cut your finger!"

"I did?" I looked at his finger surprised and without noticing his elbow got near the fire and his gi caught fire.

"Oh my gosh! Kenshin your gi's on fire!"

"It is?" he looked at the elbow "Oro!" he cried.

"Put it out you baka!" I said smacking him on the head 'Hehe… poor Kenshin…'

"Orororororo!" he was quite unable to react so I caught the first recipient with water I saw, which was quite big and put out the firing gi, soaking Kenshin completely.

"Oops…" my hand flew up to my mouth… "Gomen ne…"

"Kaoru-chan, what's going on?"

"Uh… Kenshin had a little accident cooking… he cut his finger and set himself on fire…"

"Ororororooo…"

"Could you finish the lunch for him Sou-kun?"

"Yeah… sure."

"Come on Kenshin…" I said softly taking his good hand on mine "I'm going to help you with those wounds." I felt Sou-kun's gaze following us and somehow felt weird 'Why's everybody acting so weird today?'

We sat on his room. By my side was the first aide box.

"Ouch…" he mumbled when I made a little pressure in his burned spot.

"Gomen…" I passed my hand a little more carefully "How can you not have noticed you were hurting yourself Kenshin?"

"I was… thinking, Kaoru-dono…" he was looking at me, following every gesture of mine while I spread some oil on the burn.

**Kenshin's POV**

Her movements were gentile and careful. Somehow I couldn't feel the burning on my arm or the cut on my finger… I could only feel my skin burning and aching from the sweetness she touched me.

"It must have been important… for you to be so spaced out…"

"I… was thinking…" I had to make something up and fast… I mean I wasn't just going to tell her I was thinking of her… no not her… our kiss and other things like that! "I was thinking… about how to help you… get back…" the last part was so painful to say "Get back to your time…"

She was bandaging my arm calmly but as I finished the sentence she made a lot more pressure "Ouch…"

She lifted her beautiful innocent eyes to me, they were sad and hurt. I felt my heart melt… I just wanted to kiss her and tell how much I loved her and how I wanted to stay with her forever… demo…

"Oh…" she cast her eyes back to work on the finger now. She finished bandaging the finger and started putting the things she used inside the first aide box.

"Kaoru daijobu?" she lifted her head almost immediately and only then I noticed I had used her name without the honorific.

"C-could you… r-repeat t-that please…?" her eyes were now shining with happiness but sadly I couldn't do that again… it would only make it more difficult for me… to see her leave.

"I asked if you were ok, Kaoru…" I hesitated seeing her expectant look "…dono" I whispered.

She turned away resented. "I'm fine…" She walked to exit the room "You don't need to be such a worry wart!" she tried to light the ambient; she even turned a little and flashed a small smile before she got out.

**Normal POV**

**--At the end of the afternoon--**

She hadn't talked to him all afternoon. Somehow Kaoru was avoiding having to talk to him… 'Does he want so badly to get rid of me?' was the thought that kept coming to her mind, her eyes blurred but she stopped the tears before they could fall.

She sat on a rock watching the sun set. Long ago she still remembered when she and her mother watched the sun set. Most of the times waiting for her father to come back from work and go dinner with them. Memories came flooding to her… One certain memory made her widen her eyes. She made herself remember it step by step.

"My… dream…" she lifted her eyes to the now low sun. The sky was tainted in warm colors, red and orange. But there was also violet and fading blue.

"Kaoru-chan…" Soujiro appeared and interrupted her thoughts. She turned her head to give him a smile "May I join you?"

"Yes, sure…"

He leaned against the rock and by doing so his hand hover hers. Kaoru didn't move a muscle just kept looking at the sky and the sun.

"Kaoru…" she turned her head to him "I need to tell you something…"

Kenshin was passing nearby to enter the dojo. He too had gone for a little stroll on the dojo's garden. He heard voices. First Soujiro's and then Kaoru's. He got near the place. He knew it was rude to listen to other people conversations but he couldn't help himself. He could now see them without being seen.

"Go ahead then." She smiled "I won't bite, you know…?"

He saw Soujiro go stand in front of Kaoru, holding her hand. His eyes became amberish. But he kept quiet and still.

"Kaoru… I…" all of a sudden Soujiro found the ground something really interesting to look at. He lifted his eyes once again and continued. He was now staring deeply at her. "When I saw you… uh… when I first saw you…" he gulped "I fell in love with you…" he said in an almost inaudible whisper.

Kaoru had a shocked look in her face but Kenshin couldn't see her face. Also he was too occupied letting anger take over him. He wanted to hear what she had to say…

"Sou-kun…" she was going to start talking.

"No… wait… let me finish!" he breathed hard "When I saw you I thought you were perfect… you're a beautiful girl, about my age and you had just help my sister when you didn't even know her. I saw you had a great heart…" Kenshin fumed. Okay he was right… he agreed with the boy but couldn't help but to feel Soujiro was stealing that moment from him.

"Sou-kun… I…" she lifted her other hand to cup Soujiro's face and then unexpectedly she hugged him. For Kenshin that was enough. He got out of there and went back to the house. He didn't mind changing back to his rurouni self. He was too angry.

Kaoru's hug didn't last long. Then she freed her other hand and cupped both his cheeks. She smiled weakly "Soujiro… Gomen ne… demo…"

He downcast his eyes "It's him, isn't it?"

"Who?"

"Kenshin… you love him, don't you?" his voice was hoarse and for the first time he hadn't a smile on his face.

"Hai…" she whispered "I love him…"

He looked away in pain.

"I know how you feel…" she whispered gently "Believe me… I do…"

He shrugged and lifted his eyes once again. He forced a smile back into his face "Well… I tried…" he said "We can always be friends, can't we?"

"I would never deny a friendship!" she took his hand "Let's go inside. Dinner will be ready any minute."

They walked hand in hand to the dojo and entered the kitchen like that.

**Kaoru's POV**

I felt sad for Soujiro… because I knew what he felt. I felt the same way when it came to Kenshin…

We entered the kitchen and as we did I felt something was terribly wrong but I couldn't explain why…

Kenshin looked at us entering the room. His eyes fell upon our hands… I gasped 'His eyes! They're… amber!' I let go of Sou-kun's hand. Slowly and got near Kenshin who was now setting the table with Myu-chan's help.

"Kenshin…" I whispered. It was with great shock that I saw him turn his back to me. I backed away felling hurt. The pain on my chest wouldn't be bigger if I had a sword across it.

Everyone sat down. Kenshin didn't talk nor did he eat much. After he finished, he waited for everyone to finish so he could clean the table.

The three men made the dishes and I picked Myu-chan up to take her to her room and put her to sleep.

"There we go…" I said when I finished dressing her with her yukata. "Now… let's put you to sleep…" I took her futon and lay it on the floor.

"Auntie Kao-chan?"

"Hai?"

"Why was Uncle Kenny so weird at dinner?"

I looked at her "I don't know…" I whispered in a low voice "I really don't know…" I kissed her forehead. "Do you want a bedtime story?"

"Hai…"

I started telling a small tale my mother used to tell me when I was her age. It was my favorite.

She fell asleep quickly… she was tired…

I tiptoed my way out and as I turned around and closed the shoji soundlessly I got face on face with Kenshin.

I shivered his eyes kept their amber color but as he laid his gaze on me the color seemed to get even more menacing.

He didn't say anything just kept walking towards his room. I did the same… 'I'm worried about you Kenshin…' I was feeling so depressed 'Why are you acting like this…?'

We both reached our rooms. He begun to enter his room without even saying his goodnights… that hurt me more than I ever imagine such thing would…

"Oyasumi nasai Kenshin…" I tried.

He didn't even stop… worst he closed his shoji the minute I finished the sentence.

'Why are you doing this…?'

The now long suppressed tears began to fall down. I entered my room and closed the shoji behind me…

Then I curled up on the floor crying. Not minding to change to night clothes, to lay the futon or to put the light out. I just cried… because there was nothing else I felt able to do… I cried…

**Kenshin's POV**

If my heart was already aching, now it had reached its limits… I had never been so rude to anyone… Kaoru-dono doesn't deserve this demo…

I put out the light after dressing my yukata and then sat against the wall facing the shoji.

'She hasn't put her lights out…' I could hear her crying 'Why are you crying? I should be the one crying not you…' I'm being so selfish… I know Kaoru-dono has the right to choose anyone she wants. And… let's face it… Soujiro is much more near her age then I am! I continued hearing her cry. 'I should go comfort her…' but I didn't move. I couldn't… hear her cry was painful but it was a way of punishing my own selfishness.

I felt Soujiro's presence and soon enough he was facing Kaoru's shoji. Anger rose up once again. I closed my eyes in despair.

"Kaoru-chan… daijobu?" he asked from outside the room.

I heard her force her voice to try sound calm.

"Daijobu… you should go to sleep Sou-kun." She made a stop and breathed shakily "Oyasumi nasai…" and to emphasize her actions she put out the light.

"Oyasumi nasai Kao-chan…" he walked away.

I heard her in her room… she was changing her clothes for sure. I heard the kimono sliding down her silky skin and fall on the floor. I shivered at the thought and pushed them away from my head quickly.

I continued uninterruptedly listening to her movements, like if they were music. She sobbed once and a while but really low not to alert anyone.

After half an hour, or so, her sobs started to increase a little and by the end of an hour I could hear her crying again.

In my heart I just wanted to go there and comfort her but the anger and the jealousy didn't let me.

Sleep soon claimed me but it was a restless sleep.

_Kaoru-dono… she was everywhere smiling and laughing. Running around… all images. Good memories. 'She's so beautiful…'_

_Then pitch black… I turned over and over again. 'Where are you, Kaoru-dono?'_

_I ran… I ran as quickly as I could._

_A door… I saw a door… 'She must be there…' I opened the door carefully._

_"Kaoru?" I wanted to apologize to her… "Kaoru are you here?"_

_Nothing but silence… 'Maybe she's just mad at me…'_

_"I wanted to apologize for my rude behavior…"_

_Still nothing… I was starting to doubt she was there._

_I gave another step and my feet felt something in the way. I got on my knees… 'What's this?'_

_I gasped… it was a dead body… bloodied dead body… my hands trembled as I reached to touch the face of the body._

_It was a woman… she had long hair… her skin was silky but it was cold… so cold._

_I got up… One step back… two steps back…_

_"It was your fault Kenshin…" it was her voice… it wasn't sweet and warm… it was cold and numb._

_"Why couldn't you accept?!" she was all around me… all of the images of her were dead bodies… bloodied…_

_"No…" I stepped back and my back went against something. I turned around… there she was…_

_"Yes… look!" and she reached for my forehead and touched it with her icy fingertips._

_Images flooded my head… I fell on my knees… I'd killed her because of my jealousy! I had killed her… killed the woman I loved…_

_Hot salty tears fell down my face…_

I woke up. Panting desperately… gasping for air… I cleaned my tears…

'Kaoru…' I got up and almost ran out of my room 'Kaoru… don't be dead… please don't be dead.'

I opened her shoji and entered the room closing it behind me. My heart was racing like mad and I almost had and heart attack when I saw her lying on the floor curled up.

I fell on my knees as close as I could get to her. I touched her face gently… it was warm… I breathed out in relieve. She hadn't laid her futon and she her cried herself to sleep.

I felt an urgent need to hold her in my arms… a need I couldn't deny myself…

I gathered her in my arms and held her tight against me. She let out a sigh of contentment. 'You're probably thinking Soujiro's holding you…' I thought painfully but then I smiled gently 'You deserve to be happy… and if Soujiro's the one that makes you happy.' I stopped 'Then I support you… like I promised I would…'

She hid her face in my chest. I stood like that for a couple of minutes then I put her on the floor and got her futon. I laid it on the floor and put her sleeping form there. I tucked her in and whispered "Gomen nasai Kaoru…" I stopped 'It will stay like this, de gozaru…' I smiled and got out of the room closing the shoji behind me.

**Me:** **Well I hope you liked it… first I was somewhat unsure whether to end the chapter her or to continue a little more further… but I decided to end it here… you see now I'll have to be extra careful with what I write… cause I might end up screwing the plot up if I write in lightheaded…**

**Anyway I got to go… I have to go tutoring a friend of mine… he asked me to clear some of is English doubts and other subjects doubts cause he's going to make some exams this month! I'm glad I can help… but gosh! I'm soooo damn tired… just to think that I have to go to his house on foot… it's at least a 20 to 30 min walk! **

_**Remember to review… and this time… I'm giving neither candy nor chocolate or I'll go bankrupt! xx **_

Ja ne!


	15. Important Note!

**_Note!!!!_**

I'm so so so so so sorry! I didn't imagine 10th grade would be so overloaded! I beg you to have a little more patience… I swear I'll post that damn chapter as soon as I can… just look at my schedule…From Monday to Friday I have classes and only get out of school at 18h30, plus I have gimnastic at Tuesdays and Thursdays from 18h30 to 20h00. Then at Saturdays I have English Institute from 11h00 to 13h00 and then I have to go to religion class from 14h30 to 15h30 but I get out earlier cause I have to be at the other side of my district to have Kendo classes from 15h30 to 17h00! And then I finally come home to study and rest a little… plus my math test is coming up… 18th October to be more precise and then I have philosophy test 25th October… -buahhhhhh- (bursts out crying....)- don't pay me no atention i'm just overstressed with that damn math test... I just hate this geometry thing... it's so... I don't know! It's just plain... plain nothing... Oo I'm really going crazy...-

Don't worry i'll give my best in writting the new chapter... to compensate for this long waiting period!

Well i have to go dinner and then keep studying... once again i'm really sorry for two things: making you think this could be another chapter and for not having been able to update...

Ja ne!


	16. To understand is easy but to choose

**Disclaimer:** yeah whatever…

Now… I'm sooo dead aren't I? I'm really really sorry! But I really couldn't have updated any sooner… plus I got out of ideas… 

Anyway I just made a break while I was studying Philosophy I'm going to have a test tomorrow…

So I really hope you can forgive me from this long waiting period… but I really couldn't do it any sooner… and I have good reasons… I had to study… and a lot too! The good thing is that the tests all went well… (18,1 at English; 15 at Philosophy; 13,5 at Portuguese; 15 at TIC(computers)… I'm still going to receive my math test… I made it last week… you see my first math test went really bad… I failed that one… I think I had about 8 or something like that… I was so nervous I blocked and couldn't do almost anything… but the second one went really well ) I think I might have a 15 or near that)

Just one last thing: Thank you all reviewers and readers for your patience!

**To understand is easy… but to choose… **

**Kaoru's POV **

I woke up feeling strange… 'That dream… wait that was the same dream I had when I… was… teleported back here….'

My mind screamed in surprise. Clumsily I tried to get my fat ass out of the futon but…

"Itai….!" I fell back down…

The impact of the fall made me black out for a couple of seconds… or… was it more? I tried to open my eyes… 'They won't open!' then I tried to get up, to move at all 'Why can't I move?!'… 'What's happening?!'

My body felt as if gravity had gone up to the point of making me glued to the floor. 'Am I that fat? NO! Baka Kaoru! This is no time to think about that! There's something fishy going on here!'

I tried desperately to get up or do anything at all for at least one whole minute and all of a sudden there was an inversion of situation.

"OH MY GOSH!!!!" I was now flying at an extraordinary velocity into… nothing…. It was pitch black… but I knew my eyes were open because I felt them watering at the velocity I was going.

And then it just stopped… 'It stopped? IT DID STOP!!!!"

"Where the hell am I…?"

**Normal POV **

The pitch black was now fading and turning bright and colorful.

"Ohayo Kaoru-chan…" a sweet voice echoed through all the emptiness that surrounded Kaoru's small body.

Kaoru stiffened… she knew that voice, she knew it as well as she knew the palm of her hands.

"Okaa-san…?" she asked as she turned around.

There she was… smiling like she always did.

"How's everything sweetheart?"

"Not good… I'm hallucinating…"

"Oh you're not sweetheart… you know you aren't."

Kaoru gulped "Oh my… I'm going nuts…"

Her mother frowned "Kaoru did I ever lied to you?"

"N-no…"

"Well it isn't after being dead that I'm going to start…"

Kaoru nodded grimly…

"So you finally remembered your child wish uh?"

"I guess so…"

"Now you have to decide…"

"D-decide?" Kaoru felt so confused… she rubbed her temples…

"Yes… you now have to choose between this life or your past one…" her mother approached her and patted her soft hair softly "I know it's hard… tell me Kaoru… let me hear your heart speak…"

Kaoru's POV

'Choose? I don't want to choose… but I have to…'

"What will happen after I choose?"

"Well if you stay here with… Kenshin… you'll leave your father forever… and if you stay with your father… you'll leave Kenshin forever…"

I trembled a little "B-but… what about them…? Won't they be hurt by me going away?"

"Let's see… as soon as you leave one of the worlds the other will enter in a time collapse and will reconstruct itself again… making the history make sense once again… that means some things that were will cease being and others will stay… either way… let's say that you may have unexpected surprises… and as for the people you interacted with… they'll forget you… you'll be the only one remembering…"

'What?!' now tears clouded my eyes and I felt them burning, wanting to fall.

"Why did you do this to me okaa? I'm going to be the one hurting in the end… why? What do you want from me?!"

"What do you want for yourself? You know Kao-chan, if you choose correctly you won't hurt in the end… I did this because you were turning yourself into a shadow… you didn't know how to use your heart anymore…" I knew she was saying this to help me but somehow I couldn't help but to feel as a stubborn child who had done something wrong and was now hearing a lecture…

"I can't decide…"

"Let you heart talk sweetheart… let him talk for you… he'll make the right choice…"

**Normal POV **

Kaoru closed her eyes; she had to choose between home (her family) or Kenshin (her heart).

She took a deep breath… minutes passed…

1…

…2…

…3…

She finally opened her eyes…

"Very well then sweetheart… that is your choice…" she smiled sweetly and gave another step forward to hug Kaoru who was now on the verge of breaking…

"Oh okaa-san…" tears spilled from her blue eyes…

"Shh… it's ok… it will be ok…"

Kaoru got out of the embrace as her mother cleaned her tears…

A more decided look appeared now on the face of the teenager… "I… I want to say goodbye to him…"

Her mother smiled "I think… that's a very good idea…"

**Me: **_**well now… I know what you're thinking… "She made us wait for months and now she makes and extra small chapter ending on a CLIFFHANGER?! I'm soo going to kill her…" I know that would be what I thought… l0ol I hope you like the chapter… -gets up and goes bang her head on the wall- this is my punishment for taking so long writing this xx! ** _

_**Oh I don't know who asked me sometime ago if I could draw anime and I answered I rather draw landscapes… well now… it's awkward but I love drawing anime now and any other cartoon… I would love to make part of a film making team like "pixar" or something like that… you see I love both multimedia and good ol' drawing… ** _

_**Well gotta go…see yanext chapter people and once again I beg you guys to forgive me! ** _

_**Oh… do review… even if it is to say… "I'm so going to kill you!" ) ** _

_**Ja ne! **_


	17. Attention!

Attention:

erm… uhm... I know this is a lame thing to say... but I have to say it… due to a large amount of study I've been doing I had to postpone the new chapter… I know it's been 3 freakin' months… and I'm really sorry… but I promise as soon as the easter holidays start (18 march) I'll update… better yet… I'll try to end the story this holiday! That way you won't have to wait for my 3rd term to end…

Once again I apologize… and I hope you can forgive me… (please don't kill me! xx)

I'll be back soon:

4rt3m1s


	18. Apology accepted

Disclaimer: Don't own it!

Apology accepted

**Kaoru's POV**

I opened my eyes… 'Where am I?' everything was dark… I blinked once, twice and then I finally started to focus the things around me. Out of the blue I realized that I was laying down on something cozy and soft and then I realized there was a lump, no wait… two lumps at the ends of my… bed.

I don't remember ever sitting up so fast, especially not after waking up! Worst… I jumped of the bed not worrying about the two sleeping silhouettes who, by the way woke up in the moment.

"My room…" I whispered "I missed this so much…" blindly I walked to where I knew the light switch was.

As soon as I switched the lights on…

"Kaoru…" a trembling voice said "Kamiya-sama she's awake! Our Kaoru is awake…"

I swirled around… my heart was beating fast 'Was it all just a dream? Was… Kenshin just a dream? Am I so unlucky that I'm bound to dwell in madness and suffering?'

Moments later I was crushed into Nana's sweet and strong hug. Even though I didn't mean to, a couple of tears ran down my face.

"I missed you…" I whispered. "I missed all of this…"

A loud but discreet cough was heard in the background.

"Otou-san… I…" my head was downcast.

"It was nice to see you again Kaoru-chan… I'll be outside…" Nana-san got out the room with a bow.

The room was filled with silence, an uncomfortable one by the way…

"Otou-san… I…" I couldn't bring myself to look at him… to face him… to begin with I didn't even know what to tell him… 'How did I end up in my room?'

Slender, cold and trembling fingers lifted up my chin, I closed my eyes shut "I'm sorry… Kaoru-chan…"

My eyes snapped open in shock and even more when I felt two strong arms around me…

"I'm sorry for everything…"

The tears that ran down my face slowly began running down with more and more intensity, I was crying…

I don't know for how long I cried but after a while his voice was heard again.

"I shouldn't have done what I did… all this years…" I lifted up my head, he cleaned my tears and motioned me to sit with him on the room sofa "Foolishness of mine… and now you're leaving…" my eyes snapped wide open 'How could he know?'

My father looked at me gently "Oh yes… your mother made it clear… you're going back…" I chocked, he patted my back lightly "Your mother always knew how to take care of you. I'm sure you're going to be happier from now on."

"Otou-san…how could you know?"

"You see Kaoru-chan it may be strange to other people… but I'm not one to hallucinate even if I'm at loss." for the first time in many years I saw a true glimmer of happiness in his eyes "I'm happy for you… besides your mother made it clear that you found someone o really deserves you."

"You mean…"

"Oh… I think he had a few some… ego problems… let's just say he wasn't all that happy when I told him to scram off…" he let out a deep laugh.

There wasn't much I could say… so I said the only thing I thought it was appropriated. "Domo arigatou gozaimasu…" I got up and bowed to him. And I finally felt that I had a father, a real one that cared for me deeply and it hurt more than I had ever imagined thus now I was going to leave him.

"How long do you have here?"

"About one day…" I looked out the window "Maybe less…" my eyes tear up again.

"No, no… it isn't time to cry. It's time to enjoy… let's just go outside, Nana-san has missed you terribly too."

"Does… does she know?" I was almost afraid to ask.

He smiled and nodded "Like I said your mother always knew how to take care of things…"

**Normal POV**

There was only few time to enjoy the moment… and the three of them did so… they all forgot about past problems and grudges. But not all problems should be forgotten sometimes… On a corner with anger glowing eyes stood one that did not forgot the past.

"Oh but my sweet little Kaoru… you're not going anywhere… not without me! The last time I checked you were "my" fiancé."

Meanwhile in the kitchen…

"Oh! Common! I mean… I'm not that bad of a cooker!" Kaoru laughed embarrassed.

"Of course you're not… you just made the fire alarm actually… well fire 10 times… and let us not talk about the time when you prepared lunch without setting fire to anything but managed to food poison us…" Kaoru's father said playfully.

Both women were amazed at how much he remembered although he always seemed to be so cold and uncaring.

Kaoru smiled sweetly "Ok… you guys bake the cake! And make it a surprise one! I'll go see the dojo. Maybe train a little. Don't take long." She was starting to feel the need to be alone and digest everything that had happened in the past two hours.

She entered the dojo she was so well acquainted with. She took a deep breath…

**Kaoru's POV**

'Gosh… this feels so good…' it felt just like back… with them… Kenshin and the Seta's… 'I miss them…' I closed my eyes and blindly walked to where I knew the family katana was. I opened my eyes and picked it up… 'It remembers me of you so much Kenshin… so much… it almost hurts…'

As I pulled the blade out of its sheath and heard the soft murmur of the cold blade against the old fabric of the sheath I couldn't help but to close my eyes and remember 'you' again… 'Damn you… you… stupid oroing Himura! Will you even understand what I'm leaving behind for you…? Will you!'

With slow motion movements I remembered the katas I had watch him do several times, at night… sitting, hidden on a dark corner.

Suddenly I felt something wasn't right and did something I did not have the conscience I could ever do… I attacked the presence which had just entered the dojo.

"One more step and you'll know the pain of death Atsu Fuyaki…" I don't know what in hell possessed me to say something like that… worst I didn't even understand why I had reacted that way nor how I had known it was him!

"Tsk… tsk Kaoru… I know very well you don't have the guts for that sweetheart…" I was petrified at the sound of his voice… I hated him… I hated him so much… it made sense now why I'd reacted that way… 'I've been around the 'Battousai' for too long… I guess…' I thought with an inner smile…

This was my big error… as I let down my guard he took profit of the moment and unarmed me… 'Oh my… Kenshin would be very disappointed with this…'

"Get your filthy paws of me…" it was sickening the way he put his arms around my waist.

I felt his breath against my neck and just wanted to get away… it was almost as if it burned me… and then he talked… no… more like whispered viciously letting his lips brush against my skin…

"Why Kaoru… that's not how a lady is supposed to act you know?"

"If you don't let go of me right now… I'll scream…"

"Oh no you won't…" and he did just what I had expected him to do… the mistake of putting his hand on my mouth.

With all the guts I could muster I bit his hand until I felt it was bleeding and then screamed "OTOU-SAN!"

**Normal POV**

The scream was heard and very well heard on the kitchen… both adults left the cooking has quick as they could and ran to the dojo…

* * *

Quick note:

I didn't put it in the beginning cause I knew you guys were too anxious to read the chapter and would just skip it… l0ol well anyway… I'm sorry if it took longer that it should have… it's just that my week has been a complete crap… my grandmother is in the hospital, my brothers with the blues, my mothers full of work and getting real depressed… hell even my dog got sick… so I'm sorry if this chapter's not as good as it should be… but it was really hard to write it just as it is…

I hope you enjoyed it… and once more I'm really sorry

4rt3m1s

Ja ne!


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